China, nor footwear, may not be the first vision that springs to mind upon the mentioning of BDSM (bondage sadomasochism). But, since 2019, Shanghai label Untitlab has managed to translate just that into collections of fiercely sexy shoes, from the brand’s best-selling triple-layer Reel derbies, to its suspended-heel Sky designs.
Today, Untitlab is stocked in 34 stores across the globe. The brand has also launched a Browns collection, leveraging the brand-retail collab sweet spot. Most recently, it collaborated with Parisian designer Louis-Gabriel Nouchi for its “American Psycho” Fall 2023 collection.
“We are inspired by the fact that BDSM culture in Shanghai is sometimes quite sentimental, and then sometimes quite radical,” explains co-founder Nicolas Tian Cai alongside fellow creative director Sans Peng, over the phone from London, where the brand is gearing up for the Fall 2023 show.
Having previously showcased several times on the Shanghai Fashion Week schedule, as well as at Pitti Uomo, Friday February 17's presentation marks Untitlab’s London Fashion Week (LFW) debut.
The UK’s capital is arguably the most liberal in the world, so Tian Cai and Sans Peng bring a rather heartfelt romanticism in their representation of BDSM, coming from a place where the bold movement is a lot less mainstream.
Tian Cai notes that Shanghai is one of China’s more sex-positive and LGBT+ tolerant cities. He describes the growing number of queer subcultures present in the city. “People don’t care about where you’re from, who you are… Everyone is minding their own business, it’s a bit like London in that way,” he says.
That notion of going against the status quo has carved a power dressing ethos that runs through every Untitlab collection. Peng explains that, beyond their classic Generation Z consumer base, “It’s always very surprising to see our consumer, as they’re generally people who are not limited [in their fashion choices]. They are confident to present themselves to other people and there’s definitely a power in that.”
Another element of China which has influenced the structure of Untitlab is the hyper-speedy pace of consumerism in the mainland. The brand labels itself as “anti-consumerism.”
From slower production, to thoughtfully high-tech fabrics and ongoing staple designs, it is actively against China’s notoriously fast-paced fashion industry — of course, Chinese faster-than-fast fashion retailers Shein, Taobao, and Temu are some of the world’s largest shopping platforms.
Untitlab finds strength in the fact it is battling against China’s fast-fashion reputation, while also providing boundary-breaking queer representation that China’s presence in London is lacking.
Having a point of difference is extremely needed too. The brand might have shown at Shanghai’s event many times, but there were just 36 designers on the digital 2022 schedule. For LFW this season, there are over 116 brands presenting at the event.
With a five-person performance, combining choreography and vocals, Untitlab plans to bring Shanghai’s LGBT+ sensuality to London’s queer scene. Whether it becomes a mainstay is yet to be determined.
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