CHENPENGS CONTEMPLATIVE & COLORFUL SNOWY LAND
Patrick Michael Hughes Men’s Fashion Editor
What do we keep? What do we leave behind? These are conversations I have had on many occasions with aspiring and artist and designers in my travels in China and working with Chinese students and young Chinese Americans in New York. What parts of Chinese traditions migrate forward in the fast pace change of a growing global digital economy? A new generation of Chinese designers educated in fashion capitals of New York, London are moving forward with new entrepreneurial connections to their heritage in a more conceptual framework rather than design vocabulary. Could it be that conceptual idea based ‘design thinking’ is having an impact on a younger generation of Chinese? The classic ‘case study and make’ model may have to watch its back. The colliding worlds are in a way a reflection of today’s energetic youth and interested in China.
‘Hima Laya’ was the title of the exceedingly enterprising thirty-seven-look men’s and women’s collection created by CHENPENG for fall-winter 2019. ‘Hima Laya’ in Sanskrit means ‘snowy land the home of snow’. Throughout the collection bright hues, prints and color stacking are a connection to the three different views of the natural mountains in the East Asian Continent and the South Asian subcontinent. Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world was the inspiration for the polar colors. Elements of the starry universe, combined with the design of the ancient Chinese philosophy of ‘round sky square ground’ translate into creative weaving process of dreamy colors.
Chen Peng founded his company in 2015 in London and Shanghai. He is a graduate of the Masters in Menswear Fashion Design Technology. He defines his work as one size fashion, speaking for a wide range of bodies. Fall 2019 was his sixth collection with a shift toward technical upgrade. CHENPENG’s use of hybrid textiles such as composite TPU, wool knits, faux fur, the collection progresses into a visual evolution of the region’s flora and Fauna, as well as the spirit of the snowman a local legend the nomads living by the mountains and a tribute to the modern warriors who scale the regions peaks. His interest is in producing outerwear. He is right on target his outwear is highly desirable; water resistant, windproof, reflective and seamless materials are linked to functionality and the designer’s original concept of one size. Sporty is also a word that comes to mind when look at this collection, three were a number of ‘streetwise mountain range fusions’ in corduroy. The snowsuits also had a wonderful modern take ideal for the adventurer from Gstaad to Beaver Creek and Courchevel.
What is also new for the fall 2019 is the inclusion of a series of products and collaborations with Li Ning China’s sports giant known for its e-commerce ‘Tracing (SU)’ series, which is developed with the concept of ‘Transformation of Sky Eyes’ from the book of ‘Heavenly Creations’. The expression and fusion in this collection was stunning. It was a highly contemplative approach to outwear and a successful merging concept with approachable and glamorous garments. This was quite a NYFW show and one that also understood proudly the business of fashion through its significant marketing packet given to all those who attended.
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Patrick Michael Hughes is a fashion and decorative arts historian. He writes about fashion culture past and present making connections to New York, London and Copenhagen's fashion weeks with an eye toward men's fashion. He joined IRK Magazine as a fashion men's editor during winter of 2017.
He is often cited as a historical source for numerous pieces appearing in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, LVMH, Conde Nast, Highsnobiety and others. His fashion career includes years as a fashion reporter/producer of branded content for the New York local news in the hyper digital sector. Patrick's love of travel and terrain enabled him to becoming an experienced cross-country equestrian intensively riding in a number of locations in South America Scandinavia,The United Kingdom and Germany. However, he is not currently riding, but rather speaking internationally to designers, product development teams, marketing teams and ascending designers in the US, Europe and China.
Following his BA in the History of Art from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York he later completed graduate studios in exhibition design in New York. it was with the nudge and a conversation in regard to a design assignment interviewing Richard Martin curator of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art he was encouraged to consider shifting his focus to the decorative arts with a concentration in fashion history and curation.
Patrick completed graduate studies 17th and 18th century French Royal interiors and decoration and 18th century French fashion culture at Musée Les Arts Decoratifs-Musée de Louvre in Paris. Upon his return to New York along with other classes and independent studies in American fashion he earned his MA in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from the Parsons/Cooper Hewitt Design Museum program in New York. His final specialist focus was in 19th century English fashion and interiors with distinction in 20th century American fashion history and design.
Currently, he is an Associate Teaching Professor at Parsons School of Design leading fashion history lecture-studios within the School of Art and Design History and Theory,
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