Xander Zhou “Between Now and the Future”
In the fashion future setting of Xander Zhou’s Spring 2019 collection shown at London Fashion Week Men’s technology and identity breaches still exist and identity appears to have a new definition linked to ‘Personal Appearance Signifiers- “I am more than 107 billion humans who have lived and died on plant Earth, so I treat myself to nice things. You will know me by my oversize silhouettes formed of ruby pullovers, skintight training trousers and boxy sleeved ‘magna’ t-shirts finished with unexpected cutouts, elasticized cuffs and ruching.”
“General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has requested your consent to stay connected and make sure you that you are kept informed of our latest news and offers… Identity is not a commodity, so alongside this we have taken strident efforts to shield your information. Endeavoring to secure it against global data breaches like those of 2029 and 2033.”
The futuristic ‘Encrypted Messages’ and sound space of the runway collection staged in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Arts Entrance. It was an ideal Brutalist architectural choice for a collection set in a homogenized future. The Xander Zhou spring 2019 collection made the statement that “Homogeneity runs counter to my personal brand. I wear bright colors because I am different to the rest of the population. I generally prefer acid washed denim, high performance cotton drill, sheer nylon offset by tightly pleated polyester…” The two surprise fabrications IRK noted were terry toweling and distorted gingham checks the future was familiar, a bit humble and closer than we think. Irk also noted the touch of traditional Chinese shirt closure details in the future.
Color was key in this collection and to the Zhou male vision for spring 2019 it was draped, tailored, blocked and wrapping the body in cobalt blue, fuchsia, yellow and pink. In addition the collection featured ‘funnel-neck racer and multi pocketed fatigue jackets incorporating safety paneling with contrast seams’. ‘Logomania’ is also part of the Zhou future in the form of ‘XZ’ prints on striped rugby shirts, a wardrobe item that seems to making a slow comeback with a new generation. In this collection they were paired with padded mini shorts worn over trousers. “Arcane grid patterns were labeled with ‘circurity’ symbols which assist the information as to who I am.”
The details of the styling were also noteworthy, rounded toe loafers, suede slipper shoes, curvilinear sunglasses, and cyclist details evoke a sense of speed. Futurism which is originally an Italian art movement and manifesto, attached to youth technology and violence will be 110 years old in the spring 2019. Conscious or unconscious Xander Zhou’s concept and presentation has tapped into the similar concerns as the movement’s founders. Technology moves us forward and in that there will be loss of privacy, individuality and gender categories. There was a message of non-binary identity communicated through pregnancy and a t-shirt statement ‘New Word Baby’, adding to the subtle clinical tone of the collection.
Xander Zhou hopes to remedy that with fashion. “ My style will be remembered well past the time when the sun begins to collapse and consumes the Earth in about 4-5 billion years.”
#photography #menswear #Mensfashionweek #LondonFashionweekMen
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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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