Paris Fashion Week: Yang Li and fashion’s new message
I read a fascinating article by Edward Helmore in the Guardian the other day about how there is considerable angst among luxury brands that young Chinese consumers, who are responsible for one third of luxury goods and fashion sales, are not living up to expectations in terms of buying their share of fashion and bling. It seems that in China, Gen Y associates brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton with their mothers (the horror!), and could even be developing a resistance to ostentatious Western brands.
So it was with particular interest that I went to see the latest collection from Yang Li, who is being heralded as the poster boy for a new generation of Chinese designers, even though he was only born in China, but actually raised in Perth and educated in London.
Li, who has cited skateboarding and subcultures as inspirations before, seemed to be beating the 1990s’ anti-fashion drumbeat. He showed black and blue tailored pieces, some in leather or denim, with random wisps of colored fabric unexpectedly peeking out from the collar of a sleeveless jacket here, or pinned to the back of a jacket there. The effect was moody and broody, at times like a puff of smoke was gathering around a neckline. For evening, there was a deconstructed ball gown, partially in grunge plaid, and a bustier top trailing a side sash, worn with trousers and black boots.
Perhaps most interesting though were the T-shirts worn under filmy layers and with ball skirts, emblazoned with text such as “BORE” and “So Destroy The Expected.”
Like Saint Laurent designer Hedi Slimane, Li might be onto something. Forget your mother’s fashion logos, and even fashion’s attempt at cool irreverence by poking fun at its love of logos (ahem, Chanel and Moschino spring 2014 collections). This was rebel couture for the next generation. The message? We’re bored.
Twitter: @booth1
