Breaking the mould: designer Sheguang Hu unveils couture collection at London Fashion Week
Chinese Fashion Designer Sheguang Hu: a tour-de-force when it comes to influencing the fashion world. His concepts and focus on aesthetics have shaken up the industry time and time again.
(Fashion Designer Sheguang Hu at LFW 2022)
In 2017, attendees of the Cannes Film Festival were enthralled by the charm of Chinese themes communicated through his design of a lavish flower dress, inspired by the traditional floral pattern of Northern China. In 2020, the models donned slogans such as: "Keep it Up, China!”, “Hang in there, Wuhan!" at his fashion show in New York Fashion Week.
In 2022, Sheguang Hu’s couture collection titled: "A Place (Hide and Seek)", echoed around the world and stunned audiences at London Fashion Week. Some media outlets praised the designer as: “The Pride of the Chinese Community ", but he lives up to his modest down-to-earth reputation, as he insists that he would prefer his work to speak for itself, rather than label himself with such grandeur.
Audiences were both moved and wowed by a film exhibiting Sheguang Hu’s newest collection, debuted at London Fashion Week on 22nd February 2022, under the guidance of Jianghan District People's Government of Wuhan City, and in collaboration with co-organizers; Fashion Me USA Inc., Hainan Chixu Ltd., Nouvelles d’Europe UK Branch, Red T Fashion Creative District, Wuxi Aike Plush Technology Co. Ltd., Wuhan Hu Erye Culture Media Co. Ltd.
Themes of light and darkness, fascination and enlightenment are expressed in the collection titled: A Place (Hide-and-Seek), where the children’s game is used as a metaphor of how one might hide their true identity and feelings from themselves or those around them. Inspired by his own emotions and life experiences, the designer expresses this motif through visual concepts and by utilising reconstructed and innovative fabrics in both voluminous and fitted silhouettes of mesh, tulle, lace, leather, printed fabrics, both bold and muted colour contrasts, with the repeated motif of wrapping fabrics to bind model’s faces.
In reference to the title, the designer Sheguang Hu was asked for the meaning behind “A Place” and if he was referencing a specific location: "Anywhere, it could be a busy alleyway, a street full of traffic, your home, or even your room. Isn't the end of life also ‘A Place’? So it doesn't matter where this place is, where I am, is where this place is.” Sheguang Hu responded.
With years of experience in integrating Chinese elements and Western culture, Sheguang Hu presents each of his pieces using deep thought and detailed concepts, exhibiting his influences of interactions with different people in different environments. The entire collection is presented in the form of a stage play with models improvising fluid dance-like movements to haunting music and sound design in a circular space. The shooting technique of 360-degree bullet-time captures the models’ "movement" and "stillness", exacerbated by an undercurrent of tension, which leads to a climactic finish.
Sheguang Hu’s theme of “life as a game of hide-and-seek” also refers to escapism, the pursuit of perfection, protecting oneself and presenting to others with a metaphorical mask. During the show, models Wang Bin, Wang Yueyi, and Chang Huanhuan, wore full face-masks and delivered mesmerizing performances. The designer combines these elements in order to leave the viewer with the haunting question: what is true and what is false?
"Agelessness" was the second main theme within the show. The models are from Sheguang Hu Fashion Women’s Army, ranging from 20 to 60 years old. The models are 55-year-old Lin Yongjun, 60-year-old Wang Jun, 48-year-old Sun Yanping, 57-year-old Luo Chaobin, 62-year-old Li Yanji, 60-year-old Cai Nishan, and 57-year-old Wu Cuixian. The designer hopes to break the status quo and make fashion more accessible to the older generation.
Once named "The Bad Boy of the Fashion World", Sheguang Hu remains true to himself. Coco Chanel said, "Fashion comes and goes, but style lasts forever." In the ever-changing fashion world, isn't being true to oneself and remaining loyal to your own style and influences, the ultimate definition of fashion?
Photo Credit: Look book: Heat Photograph
Editorial photoshoot: BAIBAIPHOTO
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