How China's Angel Chen is making her mark on fashion
Designer born in Shenzhen, over the border from Hong Kong, and who dreams of being 'the next John Galliano' has made big strides since graduating from London's Central St Martins school in 2014, writes Denise Marray
Central Saint Martins graduate Angel Chen talks about how her dream "to be John Galliano" led her from Shenzhen to London and into the world of fashion.
"I was inspired by the character Marla in the 1999 movie Fight Club. Also, one of my standout pieces is inspired by 1980s and 90s Japanese biker gangsters. They used to come out in the night and wear these super-cool suits. I have incorporated gang culture with traditional kendo, kyudo and Japanese tattoos to create a daring contemporary look with bold colours and mixed textures, adding oriental patterns and punk elements."
"My graduation show, 'Les Noces' [The Wedding], at Central Saint Martins [in 2014], attracted really good press from the international media. Collaborating with artists and brands has also been very rewarding for me."
"I feel really positive. Currently, we're stocked in Opening Ceremony, Lane Crawford, Joyce and H Lorenzo. Also, we've done collaborations with Sony - I created electronic accessories; bags and cases for cellphones and cameras - and with Airbnb and Uber. We specialise in colour, textile and fabric manipulation."
