In a world obsessed with authenticity, Rocksteady leans into fantasy. Inspired by cult cinema and post-punk literature and music, this independent Shanghai-based label has been breathing new life into some of the most recognisable archetypes of the last century.
“The brand’s DNA shares some similar traits with cowboys and vampires — dark, elegant, evil-looking, punk, unrestrained, self-centred,” says Payn, the brand’s founder and creative director. Rocksteady’s most recent collection was designed around specific characters entrenched in cult cinema canon, including Samurai from Akira Kurosawa’s Kumonosu-Jo, Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street and Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men. Across the collection’s 13 looks, a myriad of references collide to form a body of work that feels at once familiar and new.
Hi Payn, thanks for speaking with me today. You’re based in Shanghai, is that right?
Hi! Yes, I was born and raised in Shanghai.
Can you describe your career trajectory leading up to the foundation of your label in 2021?
Before founding Rocksteady, I tried several small projects. I started a video channel in 2017 and luckily got a decent following on the Chinese platform Bilibili and redbook. And in 2021, I founded Rocksteady, but it was just a side project that sold items instead of being a formal brand. After being marinated in the fashion industry, I decided to take it up a notch and take this project seriously.
I majored in Economics and minored in Visual Arts in University of Southern California. During my time in LA, I was obsessed with anti-hero related cult movies and literature and was listening to post-punk every day when I drove home from campus. You can easily get [a sense of] the dark and cult vibe from Rocksteady.
I majored in Economics and minored in Visual Arts in University of Southern California. During my time in LA, I was obsessed with anti-hero related cult movies and literature and was listening to post-punk every day when I drove home from campus. You can easily get [a sense of] the dark and cult vibe from Rocksteady.
Do you recall being interested in fashion as a child? Can you identify a moment or an event that made you realise that you wanted to become a designer?
I was into fashion ever since I was 11. I will never forget my first actual statement piece — the BAPE shark full-zip camo hoodie. I scored the hoodie by swapping my PSP, which was gifted to me by my mum for my birthday — shout out to my mum. And during uni, I saw people like Jerry [Lorenzo] from Fear of God, Henri [Alexander Levy] from ERD, Virgil [Abloh], Matthew Williams, who all had zero background in fashion and still became designers successfully. I was motivated and knew I would join them in one day.
You launched Rocksteady last year with a Spring Summer collection. What has surprised you the most about launching an independent label in today’s landscape?
2024 Spring Summer was the debut season for the new Rocksteady. We managed to land in eight boutiques, including big stores like Net-a-Porter, I.T.HK and SND. Moreover, we got a whopping 100% sell through. Ever since that season, we have received tons of requests from other boutiques, but we have been really selective about our stockists and only added one new store — NUBIAN TOKYO — for 2024 Autumn Winter. The sell through rate and reactions from our consumers really surprised me to be honest, because I know how bad the market is right now, in the post-Covid era.
How would you describe your brand’s DNA? What, or who, does Rocksteady represent?
The brand’s DNA shares some similar traits with cowboys and vampires — dark, elegant, evil-looking, punk, unrestrained, self-centered. I would describe such being as a modern cowboy.
Yes, your designs are undeniably punk. Do you think about subculture when you’re designing a collection? Does subculture still exist?
Subculture and punk is definitely one of the key origins [of the brand]. The visuals of Rocksteady have been heavily influenced by subculture. But what’s funny is the process of how we get there. When we got stuck and had no clue about the next season, my partner would DJ and I would play a bit of guitar and bass, or we would watch some old movies together. Certain music always gives off a certain vibe and image when you listen to it. For me, post-punk is my go-to genre for anything. Moods automatically pop up in my head; and it always gives me a very vague, yet precise direction for the next collection.
You mentioned that you’re into cult classics. Looking at your recent Autumn Winter collection, I definitely noticed many elements of chambara cinema scattered throughout — in particular, the character of the anti-hero. Can you expand on your vision here? Are there any films in particular that played a role in the ideation and development of this collection?
For 2024 Autumn Winter, our styling process finished at the same time that we finished our designs. We designed the collection with very specific characters in mind — Dracula from Transylvania, Freddy [Krueger] from A Nightmare on Elm Street, Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Man, Hannibal Lector from the The Silence of the Lambs and Samurai from Akira Kurosawa’s Kumonosu-Jo. So for example, we made a coat with bat-wing shaped yoke, lapel and hem, and we hand stitched the loose strings on the spider-web leather jacket.
I want to ask you about your thoughts on the role of storytelling in design more broadly. Do you view storytelling and narrative and the construction of personas to be fundamental to your practice?
To me, storytelling plays a crucial part in Rocksteady. A lot of brands only focus on designing clothes, instead of having a muse or a story. A muse or a story is the only way to make a collection cohesive and make sense. For each collection, the team would gather together and suggest what mood and theme we are feeling the most. After that we will start the design process. We do it this way instead of designing everything first and then coming up with a fabricated story.
Your silhouettes are so clean and confident. Where did you learn how to make patterns?
I am really glad you noticed! My partner graduated from LCF menswear, and he is in charge of most of the tailoring and details. Plus, we collaborate with a really experienced pattern-maker who has been in the industry for almost 40 years. And I will fine-tune the final silhouettes in order to get them into the right cut and the right mood for the collection.
What excites you the most about being a designer today?
I am really looking forward to seeing how far we can go as an independent Chinese designer brand with no big showrooms’ support. Everything is organic; the community came together because of the aesthetics and stories that Rocksteady offered. I am not an anti-marketing person, but hey, here we are.
What are your hopes and dreams for Rocksteady?
We are planning our debut in Paris in January 2025, for 2025 Autumn Winter. I would love to see more and more people all around the world wear and merge Rocksteady into their own closets, styles and preferences.
