Feng Chen Wang on the international rise of Chinese design

Feng Chen Wang has for over a decade woven Chinese philosophy into contemporary fashion. Recently showing her Fall 2026 collection at Paris Fashion Week — where her namesake brand is now a mainstay on the official schedule — the Shanghai and London-based designer combines functionality, structuralism, and ancient principles. She crafts a distinct identity that has attracted collaborations with brands from Ugg to Converse and Audi to Nike. The latest is Barbour for the Year of the Horse, featuring Wang’s signature multi-fabric construction. The Royal College of Art-trained Chinese designer has a history of prioritizing the conceptual and deeper design tenets over trends. As a result of this boundless creativity, she has become a prominent leader among a wave of Chinese designers gaining sustained international visibility and transcending external categorization of their practice. Her consumer base is ageless and genderless, spanning street style, high fashion and youth culture. Jing Daily: Do you have a childhood memory that prompted you to pursue art? Feng Chen Wang: So, when I was around eight or 10 years old, I really loved painting and drawing, and, you know, when I was a kid my teacher came to my house and told my parents “you should send your daughter to art school.” I naturally loved art. I wanted to be an artist when I was like 10 years old, but I never really went to art school to start to become a “proper” artist. It's more about your personality — I have always picked up things that I love. It’s all about feeling and emotion, and something you love. I also picked up other stuff, not just painting — stuff like antique pieces and other forms of craftsmanship. “Art piece” doesn't mean painting; it's also about sculpture, craftsmanship, everything. When I was younger, I didn’t know I would become a fashion designer. I always wanted to be an artist, that was always in my dream. So, yeah, when I turned 16, 17, I decided I could be a fashion designer. JD: When you envision your brand in 10 years, what will be different from today? FCW: It will be very strong and successful, and the world will know Chinese international design as conventional. JD: What were your earliest influences as an artist? FCW: It’s not about industry, or the art industry, about artists or “who is my muse” — it’s always about the people around me. For example, my grandma, the culture, my roots, and the way I grew up. Everywhere around me there are artists. Even artisans, I think they are artists. Of course, I still feel connected to some great artistic piece, but that's very different from your personal experience, your real life. I live very authentically to myself. My grandma was always handmaking something and teaching the kids that as well, and my mom. It’s the women in the family, and I pass that to the next generation. I didn’t know what it meant when I was a kid, but now everything has come together. Something I truly believe in, something true to my roots. JD: Which market is home to your largest consumer base, and how do you maintain your reputation there? FCW: We enjoy a good balance of customers from both East and West. To me, it is not only a pleasure but a reflection that the understanding of aesthetics and fashion sense is an universal pursuit across the world. In the West, we are strong in Europe, especially in the U.K., where I spent 15 years living for education and to build a career. In the East, the brand is well received in Northern Asia. And, of course, China is the market that cannot be missed. It is where I was brought up and where my cultural roots are, which later became part of my inspiration to become immersed in contemporary fashion design. We work extensively in diversified communities — understand them, grow with them and sometimes guide them, creating The Community of FCW, representing not only myself and the brand but each of them. We interact constantly through social media and tailored gatherings and events. Like you would stay connected to your family, it is the same for us. JD: If you could dress one person, dead or alive, who would it be? FCW: My grandmother. She passed when I was in my first year at RCA (Royal College of Arts) — I couldn’t make it back in time to see her. If she were alive today, she would be more than 100 years old. I vividly recall that she would always wear traditional Chinese garments, like those from the late Qing dynasty. She was like a time traveler who straddled the old and modern times, passing through history and culture in person. She was a petite, frail-looking lady, yet she pulsed through life with nerves of steel. JD: Who are your top three favorite artists or designers right now? FCW: Firstly, Sanyu (常玉), a Chinese artist who was brought up in China and lived in France. I especially appreciate his painting of orchids. It is in it that I sense the equanimity as the surface yet the fever inside of him. Second, Marina Abramovic — I resonate with her a lot. Not only because we are both females, but her passion and faith along the way of creation, not to mention the struggle during that. I don’t have a third name pop-out immediately, so maybe I will just nominate myself. For some moments, like after the PFW show, I really want to pat myself on the back and say “Great job!” JD: Tell us about your new collection. Do you have a favorite look or piece? FCW: I rooted the AW 2026 collection in the Chinese philosophical concept of Two Forces (两仪), and built it on the idea of those two forces — not as opposition, but as a system of balance, in constant motion. This idea is perfectly manifested in this full denim look. The denim was hand-dyed and treated repeatedly, and switched between dyeing processes. [In classical Chinese philosophy, Two Forces refers to the dynamic interplay of Yin and Yang — the foundational dualities of the universe. Emerging from the primordial Tai Chi (太极), the concept illustrates how opposite elements — such as light and dark, soft and hard, movement and stillness — are not adversarial, but interdependent. Rather than fixed binaries, these forces exist in a state of perpetual motion and balance, constantly transforming into one another. In design, as in life, Two Forces is a framework for understanding tension and harmony — how contrast can generate beauty, and how equilibrium is not static, but achieved through continual negotiation.] It is as though the fabric has been repeatedly worked by time. This creates a multi-layered colored surface with a unique shade of green, which can only be perceived and experienced in person. Despite the opposing dyeing processes, they end up co-existing in the final fabric, like two forces in motion. The entire look feels polished, yet grips you like a non-conformist rebel. I chose this look for both the fabric treatment and the vibe, which echoes the concept thoroughly. JD: What is your current brand collaboration strategy? Do you receive many requests, and how do you decide which ones to pursue? FCW: Our strategy is “ideology-match”: We are extremely selective in our collaboration partners. We only collaborate with brands that have different DNAs but share our vision for connecting to the new generation and its communities. As a brand, we are very close to our communities and proud of our Asian origins, culture and craftsmanship. Our collaboration partners must not only be comfortable with this, but in fact, want to celebrate it. From local to global, from global to local, we have worked with many partners for the past 10 years. Each one is a close friend and supporter who we support in return. JD: What can consumers expect from Feng Chen Wang in 2026? FCW: This year is like a new jump-off point, after our 10-year anniversary. We have grown from strength to strength with a never-yielding determination and conviction. Consumers can look forward to more creative expression, and Feng Chen Wang presence in retail, where they can truly experience the culture and craft from which the brand creates. A universe in which the Feng Chen Wang brand comes alive, from media screens to a physical space … This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity. Jing Daily presents Jing Masterminds — a regular, exclusive interview series profiling today’s most iconic names in art, fashion, commerce and culture. Delving deep into their personal journeys, creative processes, business strategies and societal impacts, the series offers readers an intimate look at the lives and minds shaping our industries.

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Feng Chen Wang on the international rise of Chinese design