Luxury house glitters in gold

For Chen Ke, her link to Dior traces back to her youth.

"I have liked fashion design since my youth. One of the first foreign designers I read about in a fashion magazine was Christian Dior," the painter says.

The many portraits she creates reflect the social situations of people, particularly women, and their mentalities. Her piece in the exhibition, Mr. Dior and Model, was inspired by old photos and videos of Christian Dior that she was given.

"He had the charisma of an artist. He treated fashion and design as works of art. Meanwhile, he was a successful entrepreneur who was decisive and knew how to manage a company," she says.

"What captivated me most was his status when working with models — how he measured them and adjusted the textiles and designs on their bodies. He was gentle, delicate and not overbearing."

That side of his character is visible in the portrait — the model is higher than the designer, with her hair, makeup and clothes in gold to remind one of the sun's radiance, while Dior is in a gray suit.