Huishan Zhang vs Jenny Packham: Structure Against Fluidity, and How to Decide

Both of these are London houses making embellished eveningwear at a comparable price, founded by designers who stayed independent. If you are choosing between them you are almost certainly looking at two gowns in the same price band. The deciding question is not quality. It is whether you want a gown that moves, and whether you would rather have one that holds.

The numbers, from live stock

Fluidity

Packham’s method is beadwork on a moving ground: chiffon, georgette, fine tulle, cut on the bias, shaped as a slip so the fabric follows the body rather than sitting on top of it. A Packham gown looks best in motion, which is why it photographs so well walking. It also means the gown reveals rather than reshapes, so it rewards being comfortable with your own line.

Structure

Huishan Zhang’s method is the opposite. The bodice is built, often boned, in a cloth heavy enough to hold a shape without the body underneath doing the work. A duchesse gown stands up on its own, and a jacquard one does the same, which is why it looks the same in every photograph and why it is the safer choice if you want the silhouette engineered rather than revealed.

The practical test

Sit down in both. A bias-cut beaded gown is comfortable seated and can cling in ways you did not plan. A boned duchesse bodice does not cling at all and does not give either. Whichever discomfort you mind less is the house for you, and it is a genuinely personal answer rather than a quality one.

Where they separate completely

Three Huishan Zhang gowns for the structure argument

• Raven Gown in Pink Duchesse, $4,390 — duchesse satin, and the clearest example of a gown holding its own shape.
• Patsy Gown in Grey Jacquard, $5,700 — woven pattern on a cloth with real weight.
• Chloe Gown in Navy Cloque, $4,580 — texture doing the work of decoration.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Huishan Zhang and Jenny Packham?

Structure against fluidity. Jenny Packham builds beaded, bias-cut and slip-shaped gowns that move with the body. Huishan Zhang builds bodices that hold their own shape, in heavier woven cloth. Both are London houses in embellished eveningwear at a similar price, and the choice is really about whether you want a gown that flows, and whether you would rather have one that stands.

Which is more expensive?

They are close, with Jenny Packham slightly higher overall. On the stock Coveti holds today, the median Jenny Packham piece is $5,918 against a little over $2,100 for Huishan Zhang, but that reflects category mix: Packham is almost entirely gowns. On gowns alone the medians are $4,875 for Packham and around $4,400 for Huishan Zhang.

Which is better for a bride?

Jenny Packham, without argument. The house has a dedicated bridal line and decades of experience in it. Huishan Zhang makes white and ivory pieces but does not run a bridal business, so it is a better answer for a second look, a rehearsal dinner, a civil ceremony than for the main dress.

Which is better for a wedding guest?

Huishan Zhang, usually. Packham gowns are cut to a bridal-adjacent register that can read as competitive at somebody else’s wedding, especially in pale colours. Huishan Zhang has a wider range of non-bridal colour and cuts sleeved pieces as standard.

Who is Jenny Packham?

A British designer who founded her house in London in 1988. The work is known for beaded, fluid eveningwear and bridal, and has a long red carpet and royal record.

Keep reading

• Huishan Zhang vs Erdem
• Huishan Zhang in white and ivory
• Every Huishan Zhang evening gown, by occasion
• Brands like Huishan Zhang, all eight
• Shop the full Huishan Zhang collection at Coveti