Qiu Hao: Wild Couture

Qiu Hao is widely regarded as one of China’s most influential and avant-garde emerging fashion designers.  His focus on conceptually-driven design is very much in tune with his training at Central St Martins in London. Desconstructed fashion, underpinned by the development of innovative fabrics are his subtle signature. His minimalist retail space on the Jinxian Lu reminds me of a recent trip to Antwerp and Qiu openly acknowledges a deep respect for Martin Margiela. Of course, this all begs the question: what makes your designs Chinese?
“All Chinese designs don’t have to be about bright colours and dragons,” Qiu tells me softly, with a passionate spark in his eye. “The Wall Street Journal asked us the very same question last night,” adds Martin, Qiu’s well-spoken business partner.  “A subtle, Chinese philosophy underlies everything we do.”
Qiu smiles as he wraps himself in a wool coat from his first collection, designed to resemble an airplane blanket and shaded in faded hues of green inspired by the blurred colours below his frequent flights between Shanghai and London. He acknowledges that these first designs were perhaps a bit too hard-edged for the local market, which favours a more feminine touch.
Taking on the feedback, he softened his subsequent collections without violating his underlying design principles and still offering something special. Stretching the fabric of a spider-webbed black wool dress, Qiu notes its softness and shape on the female form.”