What inspired you to become a fashion designer?

I actually started out studying Chinese Literature, not fashion. At some point I realised my real passion was in the arts, so I moved into womenswear, training at Central Saint Martins and later working at Alexander McQueen and Christopher Kane before starting my own label.

How would you describe your design style?

I'd describe it as understated romantic grunge with a Chinese twist. I work with raw, fluid shapes and layered textures that hold softness and roughness at the same time.

What can people expect from your latest collection?

Collection VIII treats clothing like a vessel, something that holds time and memory. The pieces are asymmetrical and peeled-off in shape, in faded, light tones, so they feel like a memory slowly fading.

How do human traces shape the way you design a collection?

My design process always starts with a human trace, a mood, a scene, or a story I've picked up on somewhere. For SS20 that trace came from abandoned family houses in Shanghai, carrying the memories of families moving in and out across generations.

Why does the idea of "Poetic Resistance" carry so much meaning for you?

To me it feels rough and pretty at once, quiet but strong, and I think that spirit runs deep in Chinese culture. You can find it in Chinese poems, paintings, and artworks going back a thousand years, like the Seven Sages of Bamboo, and that's the spirit I want to carry into my garments.