Ming Ma often refers to an “elegant tension” in his work. Couture volumes and romantic florals are his signatures, but the results never look as precious as that: They’re cut with asymmetrical hems, splashed with neons, or styled with heavy boots. Chalk it up to Ma’s global education and references: He’s based in Shanghai, studied in London with Louise Wilson at Central Saint Martins, and finds much of his inspiration in the past.
He noted Cristóbal Balenciaga as an influence for spring 2022 and pointed out that luxury fashion didn’t really exist in China during his time; the small industry was still cloistered in Europe. In fact, it’s only been in the last decade that Shanghai has become a hub for emerging designers like Ma, and his business took off in 2020. The pandemic inspired local pride in Chinese designers, and with travel restrictions precluding shopping trips to Europe, shoppers’ money went to Ma and his peers.
As a result, his spring 2022 collection was brimming with confidence. He’s pushing his techniques and construction, draping chintzy florals into bustiers with sweeping trains and slashing away-from-the-body gowns into tiny minis. Sequins, beading, and other hand embellishments are a new experiment for his team, but many of the fabrics are quite old: The floral silks and brocades—including the opening look, a painterly woven in soft shades of blue—were all sourced from deadstock supplies of Italian mills.
Ma chose a historic home as his venue, not a major Shanghai Fashion Week location. He’s happy staying a little under the radar rather than growing too fast too soon. For now, his collection is only available in China—albeit in upwards of 100 stores—and he’s still carving out his niche. In a market of streetwear and ultra-experimental young labels, his elegant, bold yet unfussy dresses are outliers—and they’re exactly the sort of thing people want to wear to their post-pandemic events and parties. In the near future, it’s easy to picture Ma’s cool cocktail pieces and statement gowns making their way to New York, Europe, and beyond.
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