A

A
heralded name on London Fashion Week Men’s schedule, Feng Chen Wang
creates clothing that is functional but conceptual, offering a new
point of view on menswear. Inspired and dictated by her personal
experiences and discoveries, the young designer’s collections
possess a certain intimacy – think dyes derived from plants in the
Wuyi Mountains (in the province of Fujian where Chen Wang grew up)
and Chinese fabrics inspired by clothing her mother wore.

In this spotlight interview, we talk modern men, 3D-draping
techniques and what it means to be a Chinese international
brand.

Brand:

Feng Chen
Wang

Designers name:

Fengchen Wang

Origins:

China

Homebase:

London
and
Shanghai

Type of Brand:

Unisex

Where did you grow up? How did this place shape or inform
you?

I grew up in the South of China in a province called Fujian, in
the countryside near the sea. Several collections have been
inspired by my hometown. AW19 tells my mum’s story about raising
her family; for SS20 I worked with the local community to recreate
a resist-dye technique which is more than a century old. AW20 is
inspired by the landscape around the Wuyi Mountains before dawn
while drawing on the area’s native plants that are used to make
natural dye and in traditional Chinese medicine.

Your earliest fashion memory is…

It isn’t directly linked to the fashion industry, but when I was
around seven years old I was watching the Japanese cartoon Sailor
Moon and really loved the moment when the central character changes
her clothes in a split second. Her clothes changed based on her
thoughts! That is when I started drawing people with different
outfits; I really enjoyed it.

You debuted at New York Fashion Week for Spring/ Summer 2016,
but now you’re a fixture on the official London Fashion Week Men’s
schedule. Why the change of city?

From the beginning, I have received such amazing support from
both NYFW and LFW particularly through VFILES and Fashion East, but
there was a practical consideration: our studio is in London. I
love this multi-cultural city with its huge cultural relevance and
creative industries that innovate and inspire me.

What does your studio look like?

I have a London studio and a Shanghai studio. My London studio
is near London Fields and close to Broadway Market. The London
studio is a smaller space, but I like it a lot as the team sit
close to each other and we share many ideas throughout the day. My
Shanghai showroom is based in the city centre, in an area called
Xintiandi. We open it to the public every Friday and Saturday for
studio sales. It’s a great way to learn about our customer and to
speak with them face to face.

What songs do you have on repeat in your studio?

Yellow Magic Orchestra is always on my playlist, and recently
I’ve loved listening to Reverie Band and Isaac Gracie.

Who is the Feng Chen Wang customer?

In my head, anyone can be a Feng Chen Wang customer. Even though
my collections are categorised as menswear, it is unisex. We have a
lot of female customers who have been following us throughout the
years. The truth is, there is no specific age or gender or body
that the Feng Chen Wang brand is designed for. Our customers come
from many parts of the world, from many walks of life.

Your aesthetic has been described as “authentic, emotional and
multidimensional”, but how do you see it?

For me these words truly sum up my experience and visual
language of the real stories and inspirations that surround me.
With the AW20 collection, I was inspired by a trip back to Fujian
for the annual Qingming festival, in which people pay respect to
our ancestors. I was reminded of the dresses my grandmother used to
wear, which were made from a blue-and-white fabric known as
lanyinhuabu. I made many trips to search for the people who still
make this fabric and, after visiting five villages, I finally found
a workshop. I didn’t want to just take their fabric and design
clothes with it, so I ended up collaborating with them to harness
their technique to create the exclusive fabric that we used in the
collection.

Do you consider your brand to be Chinese, English or simply
international?

Feng Chen Wang is a Chinese international brand.

What does your creative process look like?

I create many of the signature pieces with my own hands using a
3D-draping technique, which is similar to when you use your hands
to make sculpture. I love the different silhouettes this process
creates.

What creative references do you refer to again and again?

I don’t refer to the same things again and again, but I do like
the arts and various installations. Sometimes I will refer the
colours from a painting, and sometimes I will refer the structure
from a sculpture.

Shop your own line. What are three of your favourite
pieces?

From the SS20 collection:

Denim Hand Woven Hooded Jacket

Denim Sleeveless Jacket in Paradise Green and Black-Acid
Wash

2-in-1 Pleated Trouser

Is travel a source of inspiration?

Undoubtedly. I live between London and Shanghai; travel is a big
part of my life. Every country gives me an energy that is different
and brings new perspective.

Three destinations on your travel wish list…

Kenya, Morocco
and Laos.

Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

The Wuyi Mountains in Fujian, my hometown. Not just because of
the landscape, but because of the people and culture, the
architecture and its beautiful landscape.

What are you reading right now?

A book called Chinese Movie Magazine by Paul Fonoroff and
Apartamento, Issue 23.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Go out to see the world and find out who you are.

Mini-Guide to Xiamen, Fujian

STAY:

Conrad Xiamen

EAT:

Miss Zhao’s Shop

SHOP:

Shapowei Art Zone, an area filled with artists’ studios, a skate
park and boutiques.

DO:

Xiamen Bicycle Skyway – cycle along the world’s longest elevated
cycle path.