When Music Meets Fashion: Croatian Cellist Ana Rucner Performs in Shanghai

The mood was pink in Shanghai's New Hongqiao Central Park, which was transformed into a real-life Barbie world. It was a place to have fun, take photos, and even sing along to the familiar tune – "I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world."

Amid all the color and playfulness, music took center stage. One of the highlights was the performance of Croatian cellist Ana Rucner on October 26.

Rucner, known for blending classical music with folk traditions in her own expressive way, brought a new dimension to the event. Her performance shone not only through sound but also through style.

Her outfit was created by Shanghai Garment Group, one of the city's oldest fashion houses with roots stretching back 75 years. The design combined pink silk with green brocade, symbolizing harmony between past and present and the dialogue between cultures.

The group, which once crafted Tang-style garments for APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) leaders, designed this stage costume especially for Rucner.

"On stage, I just try to be honest with people and share my emotions," Rucner said. "I don't play for myself, I play for people."

Even her shoes, she laughed, had their own story. "I bought them in Croatia a year ago. They looked like Barbie shoes – pink and shiny. And now, in China, I realized this was destiny." In Chinese, she added, people say yuanfen – which means fate.

The park's design was inspired by Greta Gerwig's film Barbie, which continues to spark global conversations about womanhood, confidence and identity.

"I think it's good that women have self-confidence," Rucner reflected. "But we should also remember what it means to be a woman and to respect one another. I teach my son to be brave, kind, and emotional – because that's what makes us human."

As music met fashion and East met West, Rucner's performance turned a pink-themed park into something more – a moment of harmony, joy, and connection shared with everyone around.