It might be surprising to some that the
majority of the London-based Asian designers who showed at LFW did not force
their cultural or ethnic backgrounds into their designs.
And while it was a refreshing change to see
designers from the East feeling confident enough to simply design beautiful and
wearable clothes sans any ethnic twist or gimmick, there is something to be
said for keeping your influences subtly on display.
Step forward Huishan Zhang, the
Chinese-born designer held a mainstream LFW show and demonstrated that it is
possible to nod to tradition without being a total cliché.
I mean, a man who considers the picture of
Chinese elegance that is Maggie Cheung his ultimate style icon isn’t going to
veer off into making asymmetrical monochrome prints with conical bras and
Grecian draping is he?
Don’t get me wrong, Huishan’s collection
cannot be described as ethnic in any way, but he has moved on from his previous
collections. Taking hints of Asian culture – namely Cheongsams - to create
modern garments that have enough of a twist to start a conversation at a dinner
party, but not look like a fancy dress outfit.
The Western influenced cheongsams are
offset by the second Asian feature – hand made lace. His sporadic use of
traditional lace patterns compliment the more modern and casual edge created by
bold geometric patterns inspired by Western contemporary art– itself a unique take on the famous Mondrian’s compositions.
What stands out about Huishan, who also
happens to have worked previously at Dior and their couture atelier - are the
delicate textures and attention to details and fabrics which are unmistakably
feminine.
I found his collection very chic, meant for
women who want to look effortless yet elegant and practical - the lace overlay
shift dresses with panels in blue and yellow have to be my personal favourites.
What is refreshing is that this collection
is not looking to shock or offend. It’s just a collection of beautiful garments
– with something just unmistakably Asian about them - that you could wear
anywhere and feel great in.
Have a look at his AW13 collection and tell me you wouldn't want to rock them on your next dinner party! I know I would.
