Feng Chen Wang shifted between her habitual storytelling and more everyday territory with her fall collection. Building on her previous exploration of the “Classic of Mountains and Seas,” an ancient Chinese collection of epic tales filled with mythological creatures, she grounded her designs in the real world — along with some whimsy and streetwise style.
The creatures she manifested were fantastic, but far from figurative — three of the models walked the runway with their own dogs, with coats to match their owners’ outfits.
Animal references underpinned a lot of the collection, from chapka hats and fake fur trims on bags, coats, shoes and peeping out from under ultra-wide pants, to python print coats for one model and her furry friend. A bouclé bomber in teal was one of the standouts.
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Earthy tones were contrasted with playful touches of pastel, and the tactile textiles and fluffy knits softened the streetwise aesthetic of wide cargo pants, while poplin shirts had cuffs that hung long, unbuttoned, with slimline bows at the neck.
Her balancing act was perhaps best summarized in the fabric treatment she used for the striking denim pieces in the collection — they were hand-stained with a tie-dye effect using natural pigments before having a chemical treatment applied on top, giving them a slight metallic sheen and subtly elevating the silhouette.