Qiu is an artist, which is apparently visible in her series, including this one, shown in a private residence in the center of Milan, furnished with Greenhouse and parrots. It’s an artsy space, and her looks, full of brushstrokes, prints, and mashups, are delightfully lifelike. Passionate about drawing from an early age, she nurtured her talent at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, known for her experimental approach, and has produced many international fashion talents such as Martin Margiela, Demna and, of course, the Antwerp Six. It was from painting that Qiu began to develop her own approach to fashion design, culminating in the combination of prints that became her signature style.
In the spring, she wanted to pay homage to the work of abstract painter Bernard Frise, in which the purest color is at its center. Qiu uses solid, loud tones to reproduce the broad, precise blend of brushstrokes typical of Frieze’s work. “The intricacy of mixing colors and patterns is definitely what fascinates me the most when it comes to making garments,” she says.
Upcycling seems to be more and more inevitable in the work of a new generation of designers, probably because it is also part of their culture part. Qui uses scrap textiles recycled from around the world, including vintage and leftover stock, but she’s not limited to fabrics: she’s also teamed up with Ugg to modify their boots with colorful appliqués. For spring, she used Swarovski crystals and gemstones to embellish petticoat dresses, tailored jackets and shift dresses. The latter is the most special piece in the collection, always shown alongside leggings and sweatshirts, another legacy of the pandemic era that has prompted Qui to approach proposals from the art world she loves and be more functional and more practical. Find a balance between casual proposals.
