SHUSHU/TONG had its 10th birthday this season, and it celebrated by shutting down Shanghai Fashion Week. The collection had a chic range of mod ensembles that were giving a “just threw this on to run errands” flair to the function with the flowers and vegetable details flowing from bags. Very ‘60s cinema-coded with the cute sets, the gloves and the bobble hats.
We linked up with the designer duo, Liushu Lei and Yutong Jiang (aka Shushu and TongTong), to chat about their new collection.
What inspired you this season?
“This season begins with Diane Arbus’s iconic photograph ‘Identical Twins’. From this image, we constructed a fictional narrative exploring how the lives of two girls intertwine. By envisioning their journey from childhood to adulthood, we sought to depict key moments of their lives through the language of clothing. This collection delves into the formation of female identity and the intricate bonds within the female collective.
“In previous seasons, we have often centred our collections around a female character drawn from different art forms. So, in this season, when we saw that photograph, it felt like an image with countless untold stories. We started imagining how two girls with similar looks turned out to have different personalities, while their lives are deeply bonded with each other.”
What drew you to these themes?
“To us, the bonds between females are intricate – profoundly real, ever-evolving, and full of vitality. The dynamic interaction between women could strongly shape one’s identity of what it means to be a woman. The mutual referencing between two females’ lives really helps to understand how girls grow into women. By imagining their life-long friendship marked with joy, compassion, jealousy, empathy, and sorrow, we wanted to share this vision of vibrant female power with every SHUSHU/TONG girl.”
What was the most interesting thing on your mood board?
“Without a doubt, Diane Arbus’s photograph. This image opened up a vast imaginative space for us, allowing us to step into the role of storytellers.”
What kind of music were you listening to when designing this collection?
“A variety of genres, but for this collection, ‘Two Girls’ by Karen Mok was on loop.”
Let’s chat about the accessories.
“We continued our collaboration of accessories with YVMIN. We talked with Xiaoyu and Min, the designers of YVMIN, about wanting to use rubber bands as key elements of this collection, to reminisce childhood memories of girls. They were true geniuses coming up with rubber bands woven into flowers, bows and dolls, uniquely interpreting the theme of this season.”
Aesthetics, trends and styles are so fast-paced these days, how do you manage to evolve with the times but also keep to your signature aesthetic?
“It’s never about chasing trends – it’s about doing what we love. A designer brand with a distinctive aesthetic should focus on its unique vision rather than being dictated by fleeting fashion cycles.”
What’s your advice for young designers starting out rn?
“Don’t just think like a designer, think like an entrepreneur.”
Thanks Shushu and TongTong, it’s been good.
Featured images SHUSHU/TONG©
More on Culted
