Interviews with three local designers (combinations) selected for Hypebeast100 Next and review in 2022

Hypebeast100 Next is a collection of emerging designers from around the world shaking up local markets and making a lasting impact globally. The origin of these creative people does not necessarily start with fashion, but they are now gradually occupying this stage. It can be said that they are a whole new generation pursuing innovation and creativity. The fashion circle relies on them to challenge traditions through inspiring and subversive ways. We also hope that through this list, they can inspire young people in the future one day.

A total of 23 groups of emerging designers were selected for this year’s Hypebeast100 Next, including Dingyun Zhang from mainland China, Sensen Lii from WINDOWSEN designer, and Hong Yang/Zhang Quan, the manager of Randomevent/Melting Sadness. Hypebeast CN will introduce readers to the brand actions of these three local designers (combinations) in the past year and bring exclusive interviews.

Hong Yang/Zhang Quan
Randomevent/Melting Sadness

Although the ever-changing epidemic situation and policies have made brands miserable, 2022 is still a year of “full firepower” for Chinese street brands Randomevent and Melting Sadness, and this “upstream” success Behind it, it is inseparable from the credit of Hong Yang and Zhang Quan, the two creative masterminds behind the brand.

In terms of Randomevent, in addition to the constantly mature main line series, it has also dedicated cooperation projects with international brands such as ACU, Reebok, Gramicci, Mizuno, LACOSTE, etc., demonstrating the booming “brand power” of Chinese street power; In terms of Melting Sadness, the cooperation with the sports giant adidas Originals continues, covering a multi-dimensional matrix of leisure and even golf products, further expanding the scale of joint names between domestic brands and international sports giants, and the cooperation with Champion and G-SHOCK that debuted in the second half of the year , can not help but surprise people.

Regardless of the product level, the two major brands have continued to deploy domestic offline stores this year, expanding from Shanghai, Beijing, and Changsha to Shenzhen, Nanjing, Chengdu, and other cities to further radiate brand influence to young people across the country Among them, the “business empire” belonging to Randomevent & Melting Sadness has clearly taken shape.

Hypebeast: You have been active in the past year. What is your most satisfying work or collaboration project?

Hong Yang:The cooperation between Randomevent and Reebok is the project I am most satisfied with in the past year. In the nearly 18 months of preparation, we have completed the cooperation of three pairs of shoes and a set of clothing series. Landing is worth it, and the cooperation and communication between the teams is great.

Zhang Quan:Xie Zilong Video Art Museum “Rabbit, Little Flower and Boat on the Lake” exhibition, this is also the fourth exhibition of my amusement park series. The preparation of the exhibition, the content of the work and the products of adidas Originals form a complete narrative of the work. I hope to present a complete new Chinese fairy tale in this way. Being able to tell a story linking history and the future is both sad and happy.

Hypebeast: What is the biggest lesson or insight you have learned in the process of running the brand in the past year?

Hong Yang:Do plan B well. Work under the epidemic is always faced with many uncertainties. In addition to real-time adjustments to project expectations, there must also be adequate preparations on the execution side.

Zhang Quan:In the past year, the past two years, or the next year, the next two years, I put what I want to say on the name of “Melting Sadness”. How to face those sad content, that is to persist.

Hypebeast: As a creative force of the new generation, what are your views or suggestions on the current development of China’s creative industry?

Hong Yang:Most of the creative projects we see today are like a layer of “dust”. The degree of business respect for creativity determines whether the industry can develop better in the future. In addition, creativity needs to go first. When we face many problems such as customers, budgets, and teams, we must insist on letting the creativity itself play its value.

Zhang Quan:I don’t want to express any views and suggestions on the industry. First of all, does the industry built by real creative forces really exist? Full of pandering, plagiarism, the kind of tree without roots, the kind of thing where the creator and the work don’t really match? Is it really mature? From my point of view, young people can think more independently, express themselves directly and believe in themselves. It’s good to be yourself, and don’t deliberately believe in so-called creativity.

Hypebeast: What new changes do you think the street fashion industry will usher in in the next 12 months?

Hong Yang:In the past few years, street elements have been widely used in various scenes. In the future, street fashion will be intervened by new carriers, and characters, products, and channels will all change. In other words, the industry itself emerged because of new changes. In the post-epidemic era, we will see increased emotional expression in creativity; environmental protection is important; thinking brought about by sports and travel will be reflected in products.

Zhang Quan:This is not a matter of the fashion industry. Changes depend on whether there are still streets, and whether there are changes on the streets? In fact, what we update is not fashion, fashion is attached to the street. See how we define this concept and how much courage we have to change.

Hypebeast: Could you tell us about your brand or personal future plans?

Hong Yang:Randomevent will enter a new decade, launching a series of new cooperations and plans to develop overseas. The cooperation project with Disney 100 will start soon, so you may wish to look forward to it.

Zhang Quan:2023 will be KARORO’s “zodiac year”. It will be a very busy year and a more mature year. There will be more exhibitions and cooperations for you.

Sensen Lii
IN WINDOWS

Founded in 2019, the Chinese designer brand WINDOWSEN has now become a cutting-edge fashion brand that has attracted much attention on the international stage. Designer Sensen Lii, who turned professional from musical theater to fashion design, draws visual inspiration from the science fiction works he was obsessed with as a child, and combines sports technology with traditional haute couture. The surreal aesthetics of WINDOWSEN continues to the latest season of the 2023 spring and summer series. From the perspective of the virtual character “wrestler MX. Bridge section, in order to explore the relationship between “AI, machinery and life”.

In the past year, WINDOWSEN has a high exposure rate – Modonna, Katy Perry, Lizzo, BOA, BLACKPINK and many other internationally renowned artists have put on the styles created by WINDOWSEN in performances, programs and magazines. In addition, Sensen Lii also cooperated with MAC to launch a joint ALIEN BABY eyeshadow palette, and ABSOLUT launched a joint environmental protection hero installation special project. In December, it was invited to participate in an exhibition organized by the British V&A Victoria and Albert Museum, Hong Kong K11 and famous art directors. Zhang Shuping’s “Love of Couture: Fashion Craftsmanship Beyond Time” exhibition, as one of six emerging fashion designers from around the world, customized the British and French women’s collections of the V&A Museum.

Hypebeast: You have been active in the past year. What is your most satisfying work or collaboration project?

Sensen Lii:In 2022, I have gained a lot of works that I am very satisfied with. For example, Katy Perry wore the oversized blue dress of WINDOWSEN SPORTY-TECH COUTURE COLLECTION in the famous American “Saturday Night Live” program, and K-POP legendary singer BOA also wore it WINDOWSEN’s latest ready-to-wear collection, a special green tulle dress for Lizzo, and then I styled the undisputed eternal pop diva Modonna three times! I’m very excited to mention it now, from her NYC Pride Concert shooting, Finally Enough Love Party offline activities, to the cover shooting of “Paper Magazine” who chose WINDOWSEN’s style, and at the end of the year, the four of BLACKPINK wore my work at the same time Appeared in the promotional photo of the new album.

This year also cooperated with MAC and launched a joint ALIEN BABY eyeshadow palette, and jointly launched a special project with ABSOLUT Absolute Vodka for environmental protection heroes. Cooperated with the famous art director Zhang Shuping for the exhibition “Love of Haute Couture: Fashion Craftsmanship Beyond Time”, as one of six emerging fashion designers from around the world to customize the British and French women’s clothing collections of the V&A Museum.

Hypebeast: Compared with daily wear, WINDOWSEN has always appeared in the artist’s style at a high rate. What do you think of the balance between style and practicality?

Sensen Lii:Each look should appear on the occasion where it should appear, and different occasions have different Dress Codes. My current works can actually appear in many different occasions. Of course, what is seen by more people is indeed some artists on red carpets, concerts and other occasions. As for practicality, as far as my personal understanding is concerned, it is attributed to what kind of personality the wearer is and how he wears it in private. In the WINDOWSEN group, a large part of the population wears this way every day, which is rare and common.

Hypebeast: Could you tell us about your brand or personal future plans?

Sensen Lii:The new year will be a year of major turning point for WINDOWSEN. The brand has undergone major adjustments. Let’s wait and see what exactly it is.

Hypebeast: As a creative force of the new generation, what are your views or suggestions on the current development of China’s creative industry?

Sensen Lii:Love and obsess over business plans given by others.

Zhang Dingyun
Dingyun Zhang

Chinese designer Zhang Dingyun, who has accumulated many years of experience in the YEEZY design team, officially launched his eponymous brand Dingyun Zhang in 2021. The huge silhouette and expansive texture at the CSM Central Saint Martins MA graduation show have won a lot of attention for it, which has become its most impressive design language. Dingyun Zhang is also a shoe designer. Joining from YEEZY Season 4, he has participated in famous shoes such as YEEZY 700 Wave Runner, and launched a joint shoe with Birkenstock in 2021.

Although the personal brand has not yet launched a complete clothing series, the Moncler Genius x Dingyun Zhang collaboration series officially released in early 2022 allows us to once again appreciate the talent and potential of this post-95 designer.

Hypebeast: You have been active in the past year. What is your most satisfying work or collaboration project?

Dingyun Zhang:I’ve taken great lessons from all my previous collaborations, with brands like Moncler that I share a lot of design language with, and other collaborations that offer me a different perspective. For an emerging brand like mine, connecting and sharing ideas with other creative teams and audiences while growing my community has brought new attention to my story.

Hypebeast: “Huge silhouette/filling texture” are all well-known characteristics in your design. Why did you choose these elements as the starting point?

Dingyun Zhang:It references the clothing of different ethnic groups in extreme conditions, as well as the clothing proportions of Action Figure action figures. Bringing in the idea of ​​how these ethnic groups make a living out of elements of their environment, bringing their own “streetwear” or everyday wear, and abstracting the human body into a model of that environment, the combination of the two was born.

Hypebeast: Can you tell us what new plans you have in the future?

Dingyun Zhang:So far we have built our community through social platforms and media, but we are now working hard to bring our signature designs to people by bringing our fits and materials into their everyday wardrobes. We’re also exploring how to extend the DYZ experience beyond apparel. We’ve already co-created short films and animations with the talented 3D artist Antoni Tudisco and in the near future we’ll also be staying true to the concepts that inspired us, showcasing the series in that way and how we can build a real relationship with our community contact.

Hypebeast: As a creative force of the new generation, what are your views or suggestions on the current development of China’s creative industry?

Dingyun Zhang:Chinese designers continue to study abroad and return with different ideas and experiences from different cultures. Factories have started to support these designers with more openness and creative innovation, prototyping assistance, and more. Initially, “Made in China” had a negative stigma of “quantity over quality”, but now Chinese producers have become an integral part of the creative space. More and more western fashion houses and brands are also starting to cooperate with Chinese brands, sharing their language and creativity, which also helps to develop our creative industry. China’s creative industry is already moving in the right direction, and there may be more room for improvement in the future, but there is a lot of innovation and business potential right now.