For every single brand-new assortment, Louis Shengtao Chen, the Beijing-born, Chongqing-based professional, totally submits themself in a particular ideas. For loss, it was actually the job of United States digital photographer Jim Goldberg that captured his eye: Chen studied Brought Up through Wolves,a publication of Goldberg’s pictures that files the lifestyles of teen runaways residing in San Francisco and also L.A. coming from ’87 to ’93. “What I liked regarding guide is actually that every person relabelled on their own [in it] ,” mentioned Chen, that especially brought in the LVMH Award Shortlist this year. “It’s all about self-identity, and being in charge of yourself.”
Chen’s fall assortment aimed to embody this same idea: He wanted to create clothes that evoked a sense of self-discovery—and the sometimes-turbulent journey it takes to get there. As a result, his signature aesthetic—glamour and eveningwear are his strong points—had a slightly rougher, grimier feel this time around. “The idea was turning that roughness into something that is quite high-fashion or feminine,” he added.
There was a big emphasis on denim, for starters. Long-sleeved dresses, skirts, and coats were made using piles of frayed denim. “It’s my idea of a new luxury,” Chen explained. A big-collared leather shearling trench (it was also done in denim) served as an homage to the coat Angelina Jolie wears in Girl, Interrupted. “I love that movie—it speaks to the same characters in Raised by Wolves, when you’re not sure where you belong,” he said.
The dresses (“chill and easy”), were another strong point. A red velvet-effect dress, complete with a strappy neckline, had a bleached trim: Its DIY feel was deliberate. “In Raised by Wolves, there were many images of kids bleaching their own jackets and clothes,” the designer explained. A strapless dress was made of casual shirting fabric, and shaped into a mound of rose petals in white, blue, and cream. For evening, meanwhile, a silver tank dress was made of double-sided sequins, with splashes of bare mesh throughout that revealed the form underneath. “I wanted it to look like paper getting wet and being peeled off,” he added. “It looks wet—but it’s stiff.
There were also clear attempts at streamlining, which Chen hasn’t done as effectively in previous seasons. His backless jersey dresses, knitted cardigans, and slightly draped twill skirts, all in black, were refreshingly refined. “We used a lot of black fabrics, which isn’t easy for me—my creations are typically colorful and rich,” the designer said. “But there is actually something quite charming, sophisticated, and also dramatic about this color.” One thing that was very Chen, however? The mannequins he shot the new collection on; they were 3-D printed to resemble himself. “When I was younger, I didn’t really have a chance to step into fashion,” he said, “so dressing myself in the collection is the concept of taking charge—now, I possess the electrical power.”