Hengdi Wang

It’s a pleasure to be here! I’m doing well, though I’ve been quite busy preparing my new collection, which will be presented this September during London Fashion Week. It’s a hectic time, but I’m really excited about it!

Yes, I studied for a master’s degree at London College of Fashion after completing my bachelor’s in China. I absolutely loved my time in London. It’s not only one of the major fashion capitals, like Paris or New York, but it also offers a unique creative atmosphere. I found the aesthetics of Shanghai and London to be quite different, yet deeply connected in unexpected ways, which really expanded my perspective as a designer. One of the things that inspired me most was the strong support for emerging designers with innovative or unconventional ideas. It’s incredibly motivating. And being in such a vibrant city, there are always new opportunities, whether it’s meeting other creatives, collaborating with people in the industry, or even working with celebrities and artists I truly admire.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with artists I deeply respect, such as Lady Gaga, Rosalía, Grimes, FKA twigs, and K-pop stars like Aespa. It’s been an incredibly fulfilling experience.

You definitely slip into autopilot mode sometimes in fashion, especially because the pace can be incredibly stressful. Celebrity requests, for example, often come out of nowhere and are almost always urgent, sometimes with deadlines as tight as 24 hours. You end up working late into the night, rushing to pull everything together just to make it happen. So yes, fashion can be exhausting, but it’s also deeply fulfilling, especially when you take a moment to step back and truly appreciate what you’ve accomplished.

Thank you so much, truly. I was actually quite surprised when I was nominated, especially since we’ve only done one runway show so far during last year’s Shanghai Fashion Week. I was really anxious at the time, and because of that, I couldn’t fully appreciate the moment. But this nomination made me realise that people genuinely connected with what I do, and I’m incredibly grateful for that recognition. That said, I do feel a bit of pressure now! (laughs) I need to keep up with those high expectations, which can definitely be stressful at times.

After I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I worked as a designer for Susan Fang for about two years. Even though her brand already had a strong reputation in the fashion industry, she maintained a small team. This gave me a unique opportunity to be involved in almost every part of the business, from the design process, pattern-making, fabric selection, and sample testing to organising runway shows, managing teams, running showrooms, and even dealing directly with buyers and boutique stores.
This hands-on experience allowed me to understand how a fashion brand operates from start to finish. During that time, I developed a strong passion for eventually starting my own brand, as I had many ideas and creative visions I wanted to express.
I then decided to pursue a master’s degree because I felt I needed time and space to explore and develop my own style fully. The programme also helped me improve my skills and design methods, including learning new digital and 3D software, which opened up exciting new possibilities for my work. Overall, those experiences gave me the confidence and the tools to launch my independent brand.

I think I’m starting to find my style, but since I’ve only done one runway season so far, I don’t feel it’s enough yet to fully define myself. I do have a clear sense of the direction I want to take, but I still need more time to experiment and explore. For the upcoming season, I plan to try many new things and push my creative boundaries further. I also received a lot of valuable feedback from customers, stylists, and celebrities, which helped me see some limitations in my previous work. I’m eager to improve and evolve my style step by step!

In this upcoming collection, I want to focus on improving the integration of 3D garments into the actual clothing silhouettes. Sometimes, 3D pieces can feel more like standalone art rather than wearable clothes. I’m currently working on advancing this technology to create garments that not only have an artistic quality but are also practical and comfortable to wear.

In my career, I’ve been inspired by a lot of science fiction books and movies, as well as artists who explore the complex relationship between humans, technology, and nature. This theme is very important to my brand and was central to my last collection.
Technology brings many benefits, but it also has significant limitations. When I was working on that collection, I kept thinking about questions like "Do humans control technology and decide its direction, or is technology starting to define and control us?" Right now, we’re creating new technologies, but in many ways, technology seems to be controlling us. Through my work, I want to encourage people to reflect on our future with technology. Honestly, I don’t have all the answers; there are many different visions of the future. Some are hopeful and positive, while others are more concerning. My only goal is to open that conversation.

Actually, I don’t really use AI in my creative process. I’ve tried using it to generate draft designs before, but I didn’t like the results. For me, the outcomes felt cold and lacked emotional depth; there was no warmth or human touch. It didn’t feel like something created by a person with real emotion or intent. I believe that for creativity to resonate, it needs to come from a real place. As a designer, you have to put your own feelings and experiences into your work so that others can connect with it emotionally. With AI, sometimes there’s just no feeling.
That said, I do have many friends who use AI in their work and really enjoy it. I think it depends on how you use it. It can be a helpful tool and save time in certain tasks. But I also believe it’s important not to let AI take over or rely on it blindly, because, as I said, it is a tool; you still need your own voice and judgement.

In my design journey, I aim to further explore the integration of emerging technologies to push the boundaries of traditional fashion design processes. While other industries have embraced tools such as 3D modelling and digital fabrication to drive innovation, fashion still has much room to grow in this area. I hope to contribute to that evolution by challenging conventional methods and opening new creative possibilities through technology.
Additionally, as a designer from China, I’m deeply interested in bringing elements of Chinese heritage into my work and introducing them to a more European, avant-garde audience. I believe Chinese fashion and culture are often under-represented on the global stage, and I want to help that change. Through my work, I hope to highlight the richness and beauty of Chinese traditions in a way that resonates across cultures, essentially acting as a bridge between East and West, tradition and innovation.

My style is quite futuristic, to be honest, so at first glance, it might seem challenging to integrate elements of Chinese heritage into my designs (laughs). However, I’m not only interested in referencing Chinese aesthetics on a surface level; I want to explore traditional techniques and craftsmanship more deeply. That includes incorporating elements like hand embroidery, traditional dyeing methods, and unique textiles such as jacquard. By blending these with innovative, tech-forward design, I hope to create a meaningful dialogue between heritage and the future.

As a creative, I find inspiration in almost everything around me, whether it’s travelling and discovering new cultures, visiting botanical gardens, bookshops, museums, or even watching films. Anything that sparks an emotion can become the seed for a concept. Once something captures my interest, I begin to explore how that inspiration could translate into a functional garment that interacts meaningfully with the human body. From there, I dive into intensive research. I tend to get a bit obsessed when exploring a topic (laughs). I spend months collecting information across various fields —anything that resonates with me and my creative world— and then organise and write everything down. After processing that research, I start defining the core ideas and messages I want to communicate through the collection.
As a designer, I usually begin developing shapes and silhouettes using 3D design programs like CLO3D, where I can simulate different materials and visualise how the garment behaves on the body. I often start with letting my creativity run free, playing with bold, unconventional concepts, to end up gradually refining and simplifying them to ensure they’re wearable and practical. Throughout this stage, I also consider which materials and techniques will best bring the design to life, always keeping in mind comfort and functionality for the wearer. At the same time, I stay in close contact with the production team to ensure the designs are feasible and commercially realistic. It’s a very iterative and collaborative process that balances creativity with practicality.

Yes, the futuristic aesthetic is definitely a key part of my brand’s vision. But we don’t want to stop there or be limited by that label. For example, the theme of the last collection was biomechanics; it brought together natural and mechanical elements to reflect a balance between technology and our connection to nature.
Looking ahead, no matter the concept or direction, we want to maintain that grounded, humanistic perspective and emotion, as well as stay connected to our natural roots. While we explore postmodern philosophies and challenge conventional ideas of what “futuristic” fashion looks like, it’s important for us to always centre the human experience. At the end of the day, even in a high-tech future, we’re still human, and we want our designs to reflect that.

I can give you a little sneak peek (laughs). Right now, we’re exploring traditional Chinese legends, especially mythological creatures from Chinese folklore that often have an almost alien-like, otherworldly appearance. We're imagining how these fantastical figures and their symbolism can be reinterpreted through our brand’s futuristic lens, blending cultural heritage with a sci-fi-inspired aesthetic.

For my most recent collections, H.R. Giger —particularly his designs for the 1979 film Alien and the 1995 film Species— had a profound influence on me. His work really embodies the concept of biomechanical art. He was one of the pioneers of this aesthetic, and I was immediately drawn to his surreal sculptures and illustrations. Another major inspiration is the German photographer Karl Blossfeldt, whose detailed botanical photography has deeply impacted the organic elements in my designs. Honestly, I draw inspiration from a wide range of artists. I greatly admire figures like Rupi Kaur, René Magritte, and many other young artists and designers. Especially now, with social media, it’s much easier to discover references and artists who inspire you profoundly and, most importantly, to actually connect with them.

I think there’s an ongoing conversation about how draining social media can be when it takes over our lives, but I also believe it offers many advantages. As I mentioned, it’s really easy to connect with people, no matter where they are in the world. That means not only connecting with like-minded artists but also reaching a broader audience who can support and feel aligned with you. I believe it’s a great opportunity to express yourself, showcase your work, and share what you’re capable of.

I’ve learnt so much over the past few years. Since everything is still new to me, every experience feels incredibly exciting, and it is also a new lesson. But if I had to choose one key takeaway, it would be this: don’t be too hard on yourself when you fail. It’s important to keep believing in yourself and in what you’re capable of, even when things don’t go as planned.
Also, if you want to start a brand, you need to realise the importance of having a strong system and support network around you. With my last collection, I learnt this firsthand. I tried to handle as much as possible on my own due to the small budget that young brands often have, but it quickly became clear that it’s impossible to do everything alone. You need a great team in production, PR, design assistants, or styling to support you. Having this system in place allows you to focus on what you do best, which for me is design, without getting overwhelmed or losing direction.

For now, my vision can sound quite simple. I want to grow into a more mature and established position in the industry, as well as build a supportive community and audience that truly connects with our concept and work. More than anything, I hope to inspire and encourage people in whatever way I can. That would make me happy.