Maryse Gaspard (center), one of the first French models who visited the Great Wall in 1979. [Photo provided to China Daily]

On a September afternoon, after climbing a hilly road, members of the media carrying cameras and tripods, and the invited guests, some in heels and others in tight suits, reached their destination－a fashion show by Pierre Cardin on the Great Wall to mark the clothing brand's 40th anniversary in China.

Pierre Cardin, the eponymous founder of the brand, visited the wall some 40 years ago as well.

Last month's show was intended to tell the audience about the brand's beginnings and also to talk about its market in China.

Fang Fang, chief representative of Pierre Cardin China, said she faced a few problems when selecting the show venue. She was the general director of the event.

Fang said she first found a quiet corner on a section of the wall where tourist numbers were expected to be low, but she was alerted just a week before the show that the location could not be used for the event. As her company had already handed out all of the invitations, there was no turning back.

She then found a "wilder" section of the Great Wall, where people eventually enjoyed the show. Around 40 security personnel were drafted in to ensure the event ran smoothly. The theme "Cardin red" reflected the long association of the brand with China. It is a representative color of the brand, Fang said.

China is also associated with the color, she continued. From cultural symbols and the national flag, to the scarfs of young pioneers.

"Mr Cardin also considers red as the color of China, and this show is the brand's gift on the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up," Fang told China Daily.