Yuhan Wang AW22 at London Fashion Week: Venus In Furs

Pierre Berge said once that if Chanel gave women freedom, it was Yves Saint Laurent gave them power. Today, it’s Yuhan Wang who breaks through the glass box of perception and let women exist on their own terms. Gives them a choices. No need for a saviour. In 2022 women save themselves. “I feel like nowadays most of the rules have been geared by men so we had to follow what the men propose and women have to define their behaviour by that, which I don’t think is right,” says Wang.

Yuhan Wang, a designer who threads in delicacy and danger, presented her AW22 collection, following up on a theme of a femme fatale persona. Wang’s woman is an elegant assassin, ready to kill with kindness. Still, don’t let her fool you. She won’t hesitate to shed blood of anyone that’s misstepping. The punishment’s always well-deserved. This time she’s an embodiment of an imperfect goddess, inspired by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s sadomasochistic female dominance in a book ‘Venus In Furs’, Roman mythology and a small matriarchal society living in South West China, Mosuo women.

Wang’s warriors don’t wear swords (at least not yet, though might know how to shoot a gun after SS22) but show off designer’s floral patterns on signature jacquards laces, this time also featuring on gorgeous faux leather silhouettes, delicate draperies and 3D printed jewellery in shapes of eyes, noses and lips, made from plastic alternative, polyactic acid (PLA). The experimentation goes further, from a blazer-skirt assembles finished off with a fringe, introduction of knitwear to, of course, the most fabulous of furs completed by stunning furry hats.

If there was a star there, we’d agree it’s a ginger cat, carried by a model. The absolute show-stealer influenced an array of pieces from the long-sleeved jumper, green knitted two-piece, trench to faux leather dress. All featuring a watercolour-like image of the pet.

“Women are like cats,” says Yuhan. “Sometimes we can be very cute but sometimes we can bite”. She celebrates the duality of human nature on a female example, giving us space to, at the same time, express the most fragile and fierce parts of the character. Clashing petals with heavier materials and serving the Winter empress realness, Wang proves that there’s strength and beauty to diversity. Her roses have thorns. What a delight it’d be to hold tightly onto them.

Seeing models walking finale to the shivers-sending hard-rock riffs sent a loud and clear message: no more messing around; no more ridiculous beauty expectations. Perfection comes in different forms. Yuhan Wang is having an affair with all of them. We want to join in that sweet embrace. It’s empowering.

Words by Alex Brzezicka

Images courtesy of Yuhan Wang via PurplePR