Renli Su: the Chinese designer spinning threads of memory into dreamlike chic
19th-century workwear meets the faint scent of sweet osmanthus flower in the stylings of a London-based creative earning namechecks from fashion’s international elite
Renli Su is a storyteller, and her medium of choice is fashion.
The Fujian-born millennial designer plays with identity and femininity in the eponymous brand she founded four years ago in London, her adopted home.
Her brand – which she describes as modern, girlie, dreamy, and light – weaves together a collection of influences: past and present, Chinese and British.
“I like that clothing is a type of art that directly relates to people,” said Su, sporting cropped black hair and round glasses. “Fashion design is an interesting way to tell a story. It talks about culture, personality, and there are infinite nuances to play with.”
Su’s biggest design inspiration is 19th century Victorian fashion but she also draws on her cultural background from China, her surroundings in modern-day London, and an assortment of other influences – from the philosophies of Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker to the shots of falling snowflakes by Japanese photographer Yuji Obata.