In his ‘most genuine collection’ yet, London based designer Robert Wun presents ‘Armour’, a love letter to the women in his life, particularly his grandmother, who sadly passed away in October 2020. This is why the lookbook, shot by Wun himself, is presented at dusk, to pay tribute to the ‘gates of Heaven’.
For this collection, Wun used swallow birds as a key inspiration, with each look referencing a specific bird, as seen in the large ruffles and stark colours of each outfit. The meaning comes from a family poem and is a tribute to Wun’s inspiring journey of leaving Hong Kong to pursue his career as a designer. Each look is built of a strong colour palette and references not only the swallow birds but the different women Wun has met in his life. From the tailored look ‘Zhong Lin Blue’ which celebrates his ‘smoking buddy’ to the technical ‘Poison Pink Amour’ which celebrates Wun’s friend Mitsu, each look is individual to each woman. Wun cinches the waist through corsets and bonded designs, contrasting with the exaggerated outerwear looks.
Many of the pieces in the collection draw on the notion of ‘armour’, like the medieval style leather boots or the headgear that resembles the coif of a knight. Wun plays against the very notion of gender by combining historically male designs with a more feminine touch. Speaking of ‘Armour’, Wun stated “This is my most personal collection, it’s a self written diary which documents many memories of my grandmother, my family, and my close friends”.
Sustainability plays a key factor, with Wun having worked with smaller manufacturing units not only to reduce waste but to work more closely with his production team. The collection uses 100% recycled viscose cotton and faux leather made with recycled PVC materials for the majority of the contrast bonded pieces.
Robert Wun’s AW21 collection combines a cacophony of elements and materials that empower women. ‘Armour’ not only pays tribute to the women in his life but how he himself has evolved thanks to their impact.
Check out the full collection below.
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