Huishan Zhang vs Safiyaa: The Closest Comparison in Covered Occasion Dressing

If you have been shown Safiyaa alongside Huishan Zhang, whoever showed you knew what they were doing. These are the two closest houses in the market for one specific thing: occasion dressing that covers you properly and was designed that way from the start, rather than having a sleeve added to it afterwards.

The numbers, from live stock

Cloth against cut

Safiyaa’s method is to take a plain, heavy crepe and make the shape carry everything: a cape sleeve, an asymmetric drape, a sculpted shoulder. Nothing is applied. The result is clean, modern and extremely good at looking expensive in photographs, because there is no decoration to read as fussy.

Huishan Zhang does the reverse. The pattern is woven into the cloth, the embellishment is worked by hand, and the cut is kept deliberately simple so the fabric can be the subject. A Huishan Zhang jacquard dress in a plain shape is a more decorated garment than a Safiyaa crepe gown in a complicated one.

The practical differences

• Travel. Crepe folds and recovers. Jacquard, duchesse and embellished tulle do not. If you are flying to the occasion, that alone may decide it, though Huishan Zhang’s own crepe pieces such as Reign Gown in Black Crepe close the gap.
• Repeat wear. A plain crepe gown is harder to recognise a second time than a distinctive jacquard. Safiyaa has the edge on wearing the same piece repeatedly in the same circles.
• Range beyond evening. Huishan Zhang makes tweed, tailoring, knitwear and outerwear. If you want more than occasionwear from one house, that is a real difference.
• Choice. Safiyaa currently has almost three times as many pieces in stock here, which matters if you are shopping a specific colour, a specific size.

Choose by what you want the dress to do

Three Huishan Zhang covered pieces to compare against

• July Dress in Black Crepe, $5,510 — crepe, covered, and the most direct comparison to the Safiyaa proposition.
• Theodora Gown in Emerald Green Voile, $2,530 — full length, covered, colour rather than decoration.
• Aimee Midi Dress in Light Blue Jacquard, $3,830 — cap-sleeved, woven pattern, and the piece Safiyaa has no equivalent of.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Huishan Zhang and Safiyaa?

Cloth against cut. Safiyaa builds its drama out of crepe and draping: the fabric is plain and the shape does the work. Huishan Zhang builds its drama out of the fabric itself, jacquard, duchesse, embroidered tulle, cut to a cleaner line. Both are London houses that cut covered occasion dressing as standard, which is why they are the closest pair in this category.

Which is more expensive?

Huishan Zhang, slightly. On the stock Coveti holds today the median Safiyaa piece is $2,520 and the median Huishan Zhang piece is a little over $2,100, but Safiyaa tops out at $8,500 against $9,430 for Huishan Zhang. In practice the two overlap almost entirely.

Which is better for modest occasion dressing?

Both are genuinely good and they are the two houses that cut for it directly rather than adapting. Safiyaa is the stronger answer if you want a clean sculptural column with no decoration. Huishan Zhang is the stronger answer if you want decoration, sleeves and a higher neckline together.

Which travels better?

Safiyaa, generally. Crepe folds and recovers, which is what makes it the fabric of choice for people who fly to their occasions. Huishan Zhang has crepe pieces that do the same job, but its jacquard, duchesse and embellished pieces need hanging space.

Who is behind Safiyaa?

Daniela Karnuts, who founded the house in London in 2011. The work is known for sculptural crepe eveningwear and for covered, architectural silhouettes.

Keep reading

• Long-sleeve occasion dresses that are cut for it
• Brands like Huishan Zhang, all eight
• Huishan Zhang vs Erdem
• A straight review of Huishan Zhang
• Shop the full Huishan Zhang collection at Coveti