#FengChenWang AW20 collection was inspired by a recent trip the designer made to the Wuyi Mountains, in northern Fujian province, China, close to Feng's hometown. Ascending the mountain while it was still dark, she reached the summit before dawn and waited for the sun to rise over her surroundings. This felt like a metaphor for her life since starting her brand: working, waiting and hoping for dawn.
It's the idea of waiting and hoping for dawn - especially in the hard times - that forms the foundation of the collection. This season, Feng Chen Wang reminds us not to give up and encourages us to keep on climbing, step by step.
The colours of the collection take inspiration from the dawn she witnessed in the Wuyi Mountains: darker, cooler shades such as icy greys and blues give way to brighter, warmer hues such as fiery reds. Meanwhile, the feeling of the dawn is expressed through various graphic patterns.
Continuing to explore her Chinese heritage, this season she draws on her name and the characters that comprise it: 王逢陈(Wang Feng Chen). These characters are abstracted and then articulated through the layering of fabric - arranged like the characters are written, one stroke at a time - across trench coats, puffer jackets, knitwear and shirts; all of which are handmade. It's a reminder to not forget who you are.
Feng also draws on Chinese medicine, specifically the worlds of acupuncture and herbal tea, which relate to the themes of hope and wellness. Using maps of the meridian system (which is about a path through which the life-energy known as "qi" flows), clothes are embellished with jade and agate - placed at acupoints to foster physical and mental wellbeing. Pigments meanwhile are created from herbal tea, with ingredients sourced from her local community in Fujian - not only providing a sustainable alternative to traditional clothes dye, but helping her hometown's economy.
Tough times may lie ahead but, as this collection hopes to remind us, dawn will surely come.
fengchenwang.com
@fengchenwang
