Louis Shengtao Chen showed his first spring collection and just his second collection overall at Shanghai Fashion Week. A 2020 graduate of Central Saint Martins, Chen launched his brand almost immediately upon completing his bachelor’s program. Looking at his runway, though, you’d never guess Chen is a newbie—his diverse separates, elegant silhouettes, and exuberance belie his youth.
Or it could be that the spritely way he cuts a midi-dress and his irreverent combinations of color and print comes down precisely to his raw, unfettered style. Speaking over Zoom, Chen explained that he found inspiration in the lyrical twists of the Spanish guitar track “Romance Anonimo,” interpreting its message as one “not only about romance between man and woman, but about something more beyond—a romance with nature.” The natural world is represented through the animals that models carry, and also through the freewheeling way his clothes cling and cover the body, and the frills and beadwork that carry through as motifs.
Y2K mania is going around. Chen’s collection, whether intentionally or not, captures the magpie sensibility of that era with sheer shrugs over striped tops over full skirts. The hyper-layered, slightly twee look reflects the significance of personal style—and personal identity—over trends. “When I came back to China and started my own business and started selling the clothes, I saw so many boys and men wearing the clothes,” Chen says. “They look so nice and I’m so touched. I encourage everyone to try the clothes. The experience, the feeling, the energy is everything!”
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