"Perhaps that's what's so amazing about fashion: how we are connected emotionally [through] beauty, yet in a deeper sense, it also has such a physical connection [that brings] different cultures [together]."
Words by Leigh Maynard.
Xie Xinwen at PRM photographed by Conor Clarke. Styled by Ashley Conor.
Make-up by Eoin Whelan using Rare Beauty. Hair by Takumi Horiwaki using Windle Lab London.
Movement direction by Lee Jay Hoy. Photographer assisted by Gaby Conn and Torgeir Rørvik.
Special thanks to Sandy Aziz.
Susan Fang's parents might have recognized her potential as a designer before she did. From an early age, she consumed herself with non-stop illustration, particularly comic books featuring girls in different outfits. It was her mother who first suggested she consider a career in clothing design. Fast forward a few years, and with accomplishments like a shortlist for the LVMH prize, a Zara collaboration and a BoF 500 accolade, it seems Fang's mother had great instincts about her daughter's talents.
Today, with a highly successful international brand, those formative days of sketching in her hometown of Ningbo, China–– surrounded by bamboo forests, mountains and lakes––must seem like a distant yet significant memory. Fang has called many places home, from Shanghai to Canada, Vancouver, England and the USA. This varied upbringing fostered adaptability and allowed her to explore different cultures and perspectives, leaving an indelible mark on her creative process and inspiration.
Eventually relocating to the UK for her fashion studies, Fang became an alum of the prestigious Central Saint Martins. Known for her innovative fabrics, she continuously draws inspiration from nature's beauty and harmony to push the boundaries of design. One such fabric is the air-weave, a hand-woven textile that seamlessly transitions between 2D and 3D based on the wearer’s movement and shape. This fabric, with its three-dimensional stretch, eliminates size-specific constraints, accompanying any body shape. This feature captures Fang's commitment to inclusivity and harmony in her designs. "I always hoped to find what unifies us all as beings and learn how beautifully we are connected by nature, being from nature and the gift of our soul, spirituality and connection with every life around us. This connection is invisible yet the most essential; it's what makes us feel meaning, and we love exploring different concepts in our current society relative to that invisible connection through fashion."
Today, Fang splits her time between Shanghai and London. Though she is at the helm of her eponymous brand, she remains actively involved and stays close to her family. "I try to call my family in China during the day, call my husband at lunch, then call him after work, and we share a lot of inspiration and ideas."
With much of her extended family still in China, Fang reflects on the designers and brands within her home country. She acknowledges the potential of the Chinese fashion industry but notes that the outdated mindsets can sometimes hinder its progress. The focus on rapid growth and revenue can threaten its long-term sustainability.
There is no doubt that Fang's formative years of travelling have given her a broader perspective on her industry and craft, one that has proved invaluable for her numerous international collaborations. "I feel so happy [that] after Covid, we [were] able to do a global collab project with & Other Stories. [Last year], we also [worked on] l a project with [the] Japanese cosmetic brand POLA. What I [loved] most was how we connected our concept with Chinese and Japanese handcraft, creating an art installation with the team of writers, artists [and] scientists from Japan. Only when really working together [did] I finally understand Japan's culture [at] its core, and it's so beautiful to [gain] that new perception [alongside such] wonderful people."
For her Spring/Summer 2024 collection, Fang delved into the industry's perception of AI with prints and a romanticized idea of robots, viewing this contentious technology through a more human and nostalgic lens. She took her mother's paintings, inspired by childhood memories, and used the AI software Midjourney to reimagine them through human-tech fusion. "I wanted to blend drawings that were so pure and genuine from the heart to see if that emotion is still kept when blended with AI."
Her father also played a crucial role in her collection, building the cloud mist wings featured in the show. Utilizing a new fabric that Fang developed called air-smocking, paired with flower-blossoming sunglasses and kidswear silhouettes, the brand aimed to convey that "technology provides us immense convenience and newness that stimulates us every day, yet what creates meaning in our lives may be what's invisible––our spiritual connection to nature and [each other], our emotional attachment to memories, and love."
With unwavering support and creativity from her family, Fang looks to the future with exciting collaborations on the horizon. "We just launched our [collabs with] & Other Stories and Victoria's Secret, [and] we are super excited for people to wear our lingerie and pyjama designs that celebrate femininity. [These pieces] can be worn indoors and outdoors, [featuring] embroidered hearts and clovers [to bring] good luck to the wearer. We are excited about our new season, which we will showcase in a new location, and we [plan] to introduce more lifestyle and [loungewear] designs down the line. We hope that, at every step, we can [create] wider categories that connect creativity and warmth."
Discover this piece inside the China Chapter at The Silk Road Issue 12
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