Feng Chen Wang FW25 Is Big-Stepping Into Chinese Folklore

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At her Paris Fashion Week show on Thursday, designer Feng Chen Wang referred to the models as her creations. In this moment, the collection named after the designer was filled with otherworldly models for Fall 2025. Each model wore caps made of ceramics and carried strange animal sculptures, while they moved around in the largest, most striking reinterpretations of UGG’s Tasman. It felt as though we were in an alternate reality, one that Wang compared to Shan Hai Jing, a famous Chinese book depicting magnificent landscapes and mystical creatures over 2,500 years old.

As a devoted admirer, I could express it like this: Working side by side with skilled artisans from the renowned Chinese ceramic city, Jingdezhen, Wang breathed life into my “Feng-inspired creatures.” These whimsical beasts, characterized by their bug-eyed, sharp-toothed features and diverse shapes, became the standout accessories in the collection. To further emphasize these mythical figures, the designer also transformed them into captivating prints, intricately woven into fabrics and vividly printed onto denim outfits.

In terms of the bizarre motif, Wang’s UGG collaboration stood out as particularly gruesome, enveloping the classic slipper in a slimy casing adorned with fangs and sharp edges. “These shoes are pieces of art,” Wang remarked, flashing a smile while struggling to lift even one of her massive boots. “Initially, we designed the concept using ceramics before creating a mold that transformed into the shoe.” Throughout the show, the audience couldn’t help but fixate their gaze on the ground due to the vibrant brown, yellow, and blue colors of these imposing footwear pieces.

In a striking twist, Wang’s outwear pieces stood as the champion of ready-to-wear fashion. Innovative bonded neoprene technology lent a wool-like appearance to the collars of leather coats and sleeveless puffers, while structural denim coats and glossy puffers boasted a pleasing rigidity. Knitwear was also prominent; several sweaters showcased voluminous bows cascading down their backs, while others featured tonal patterns spanning the torso. Each piece maintained aspects of Wang’s otherworldly motifs.

Although the design of the collection has a traditional folk-inspired mold, Wang’s aspiration for it was very functional: “My dream is to see people wearing these pieces outside on the street or wherever they feel most at ease.

 

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2025-01-24 13:56