By Brian James and Leigh Maynard
Catwalk images by: Chris Yates
This London Fashion Week, Chinese-born, Antwerp-based designer Yonghao Xie’s SS23 collection burst onto the catwalk in a spectrum of colour and stunning drapery that ensured it would remain in our thoughts long after the models had finished walking. And as a designer who is set not only on creating exceptional designs but has deep empathy for the societal and environmental challenges we face, we do not doubt that the strong visual effect on our senses will ensure the message is just as impactful.
Yonghao is part of a new generation of fashion talent emerging from China and changing our perception of stunning design. He gained an MA and BA in Fashion at the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Art, Antwerp, graduating in 2022. Yonghao describes his aesthetic as “darkness, authentic and contemporary”, and nothing demonstrated that more than the incredible futuristic masks that represented personal identity as they enveloped models’ faces and were set against drapery that evoked the attire of Greek and Roman gods. Watching the models walk the runway felt like a fusion of modernity and classicism that felt oh so contemporary.
Yonghao is prone to use his designs and shows as a vehicle for change; a past collection entitled “Permanent Error” explored Pieter Hugo’s photographic book of the same name. The book documented the e-waste crisis in Agbogbloshie, one of the most polluted cities in Ghana and Yonghao has much empathy for the people who live there with no choice but to exist amongst the dangerous pollution. The designer’s fascination with European sculpture is also apparent in the flowing drapery that illustrates his fascinating vision and immense technical ability. These sculptural elements serve as a beautiful signature of his design aesthetic and a representation of body protection akin to the clothes that shielded the e-workers in Agbogbloshie.
This season, the collection entitled “INTO A BETTER WORLD” revolves around the severe damage to the natural environment caused by electronic waste, nuclear pollution, and war. The pallet in an array of brights from cobalt blues to complementary orange, pillar box reds and magenta and turquoise, rendered the models half classic warrior/half sustainable superhero. Swathes of layering flowed across shoulders resembling the attire adorned by mythical leaders that were punctuated by molten-bright spikes jutting from trousers resembling flickering flames. It was a collection that continued to deliver stunning visual impact with every outfit.
We had the chance to talk to Yonghao about his latest collection, the message behind the details and some of the significant mentors that have helped shape this talented young designer’s vision.
Congratulations on your collection, which we loved. The theme of the collection is “Into a better world”. Which current world issues motivated that theme, and how would a better world look to you?
In the theme of the collection “Into a better world”, e-waste, nuclear pollution, and the serious harm that war causes to the planet’s environment are combined; this has also been my main focus and research at the Royal Academy of Arts in Antwerp for the past three years. The purpose is to encourage people to pay more attention to various environmental pollution problems and to awaken people’s desire to pursue a better living environment.
In a better world, we reduce our dependence on technology and return to nature and pastoral fields. There will be more green vegetation on the earth, the oceans and rivers will be clearer, and cities will become part of our natural environment.
Many of the models appearing in your runway show were wearing masks. What was the significance of the masks, and what message did you want them to convey to the audience?
Despite the rapid development of the place we live, many people live in backward and poor places, and they worry every day about how to make a living; for example, people living in Agbogbloshie who burn e-waste in extremely harsh environments and resell the metal from it. Their purpose is to have a better life in the future and to get a better job or social status. It’s a process of finding a new personal identity, and that’s precisely what my mask is trying to convey. The front of the mask obscures the wearer’s face, like a working and living environment with thick smoke, but the side of the mask is a sharp forward triangle, showing their strong desire for a better life in the future.
You are based in Antwerp, and while your own Chinese culture influences the collection, we wondered what influences you have also taken from European and Western culture.
I used a lot of hand pleating to combine with draping in this collection. Try to create the rhythm of the fabric flowing over the body; this also stems from my many years of living experience in Europe. I am often attracted by the traditional aesthetics in the sculptures on the European streets, and I have transformed my feelings into fashion design through a more contemporary approach.
We loved the deconstructed aesthetic, the gorgeous colour palette, and the genderless feel of many of the designs. How important was it to design a collection that was totally conceptual but also very wearable?
Personally, fashion design is for people. It’s not just a few minutes of catwalks or runway performances; it’s also very necessary to be comfortable in life or on different occasions. Fashion design is an artistic medium through which I express my opinions and ideas. It does not convey information as simply and directly as words but requires a combination of colours, prints, silhouettes, fabrics, techniques, etc., which offer me countless possibilities. Of course, it’s all based on wearables.
How would you like the person who wears one of your creations to feel about themselves and the world around them when they put it on?
Hand pleating and gathering are used extensively in the design to stiffen the soft, thin fabric. I want my clothes to give the wearer a second skin of protection, or be their armour, and at the same time allow them to more confidently connect with nature or society. They can be tender-hearted, sensitive, or incredibly strong.
You studied at the highly prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Art in Antwerp. What lessons did you learn from that experience that helped you launch your own fashion label?
During my studies at the Royal Academy of Arts in Antwerp, the most important mentors were Walter Van Beirendonck, and Dirk Van Saene, both of them are the “Antwerp Six”. They value students’ concepts and ideas in the design process and constantly encourage us to be more artistic; this is one of the things that makes my design work more unique. I continue to apply this design style to my brand to make it more special and innovative.
We understand that sustainability is very important to you and wondered what sustainable practices you followed when creating this collection.
In addition to expressing the view of environmental protection and sustainable development through the theme of the collection and the structures or colours of the clothing, the selection and quality of the fabrics are also closely related to environmental friendliness. Most of the fabrics in this collection are from a long-stocked fabric factory, and I tried to give them new life through different designs and techniques. In addition, the good quality of clothes/products is also very important, which allows consumers to wear more and longer and minimize the replacement of clothes.
The collection and runway show have received amazing feedback, so we wanted to know what’s next for Yonghao Xie for the remainder of 2022 and into 2023.
At present, I have started the development and design of the new collection for YONGHAO XIE, which will continue to focus on the ecological environment, calling on people to pay more attention to the urgent environmental status and problems. I hope YONGHAO XIE can develop into a more influential and socially responsible fashion brand in the future.
As we raced around the shows at London Fashion Week this season, we encountered so much exceptional talent from the new designers entering the fashion sphere, and Yonghao was definitely one of them.
In an industry saturated with established brands appropriating greenwashing tactics to gain popularity with young consumers, it’s great to see that sustainability is not just an aside for Yonghao. It seems that the environmental conversation is at the very DNA of this brand, and it’s interesting to consider how clothes can not only express our personality but have a deeper purpose. By considering wearing garments that support young designers like Yonghao, we can help propagate the message about sustainability and start broader environmental and societal conversations.
Yonghao Xie has produced an impactful and beautifully executed collection for such a newly established designer. This level of draping and craftsmanship is what you’d expect from a long-established brand. And whilst some of the more classical pieces may resonate with a different contingent, many of the garments may resonate with a younger audience, who will love them for their bright palette and bold aesthetic and what it stands for.
We all have a part to play in the sustainable and social conversation, and young or old, we must consider how we leave our planet for future generations. Regarding fashion design, the new cohort will have the flexibility to make substantial changes by establishing better, more ethical production, using deadstock materials, and often having fewer, more considered collections.
Designers like Yonghao leave us not only in admiration for their accomplished design work but also with a feeling of hope that the next generation is not placing their brand at the forefront of their agenda. Instead, it is only an element of their priority. Gen Z is the future; they see beyond greenwashing and look instead for genuine authenticity. Yonghao is just that. He is a great talent and part of a generation with honest intentions, producing stunning clothes but also looking beyond business and designing and making strides for the greater good. We can’t wait to see what he does next.
