Looks from Haizhen Wang's F/W 2014 collection presented at London Fashion Week. (Alexa Beatriz)
Fashion Fringe 2012 winner and rising design star Haizhen Wang showcased his latest collection at Somerset House, London on February 14, and Jing Daily was there to see the new pieces and check in with the designer about his inspirations and plans for the future. Featuring an array of ready-to-wear separates in a mainly black, white, and gray color scheme, the F/W 2014 signature collection featured immaculate tailoring influenced by modern architecture.
“The concept began with a haunting photograph of a girl on her knees, taken from behind. The image shows dots of shadow cast along her spine,” Wang said in an interview with Jing Daily after the show. “This led to an exploration of the body frame; specifically, the spine as the core of the whole body.”
A look from Haizhen Wang's F/W 2014 collection at London Fashion Week. (Alexa Beatriz)
Born in China and trained at prestigious Central Saint Martins, Wang hopes his presence at London Fashion Week will help gain recognition for his designs among Chinese consumers. Haizhen Wang S/S 2014 is stocked in a handful of Asian stores, and expansion in the Chinese market is on the horizon. “I have plans to expand in China. At the moment, it depends on how the Paris Fashion Week show is received; then, I will have a clearer indication as to which direction to take,” he said.
Warming relations with key influencers suggest Wang’s penetration in the luxury sector is looming. The strongest adumbration to date came from special guest in attendance, Madame Hu Pinghua, the wife of Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom Liu Xiaoming.
When Jing Daily asked what her presence at his show meant to him, Wang replied, “Absolutely wonderful; it’s a great privilege. It almost didn’t happen, but when I saw her and her team embrace the collection, it was a true honor.”
Another look from Haizhen Wang's F/W 2014 collection at London Fashion Week. (Alexa Beatriz)
Alexa Beatriz is a London-based Economics graduate and independent journalist from Spain. In addition to being the UK correspondent for AnyWearStyle, Beatriz is the blogger behind Klein Paradox.