Dial D for the Dressmaker
LONDON — “I got an invitation from Buckingham Palace to basically be presented to the king and queen, so that’s one of the main reasons I came back here and we have a show coming up,” said Chinese-born designer Huishan Zhang, who has been away in China since the pandemic started and returns for his first season back in London.
The reception at the palace was hosted by King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, honoring Britain’s East and South East Asian communities.
More from WWD
The king asked Zhang about his occupation and the two bonded over the brand’s signature crepe, which is made out of plastic bottles, he said from his Mount Street store.
Zhang jokingly said he forgot to invite the king to his show, which he’s staging at The Londoner Hotel in Leicester Square.
“I love the name Londoner. I feel like I’m a Londoner actually, despite the fact that I’m from China originally, but I have lived in the U.K. for 16 years,” explained Zhang about his decision to stage his comeback show in the center of London.
His new collection is a continuation of his penchant for dressing affluent, extroverted women with reference to film noir and Alfred Hitchcock.
“Drama is life with the dull bits cut out. It’s about giving people positive energy and finding a way to empower and celebrate the beauty of women,” said Zhang, who has turned to a new, darker color palette — but that doesn’t mean he will be toning down the glamour.
“It’s really about highlighting the silhouette of women and it’s become much bolder and stronger. I’m a fashion designer, I’m always looking for something new and to actually disrupt, so we’re using this language to actually try and reinforce a new idea,” he added.
Since launching his eponymous label in 2011, Zhang’s eye for eveningwear has picked up momentum across the globe, especially in the Asian and the Middle Eastern market, where the business is booming with custom orders.
Zhang doesn’t believe in just dressing women, he says he wants to be the friend of those who wear his creations.
“I don’t really use women as mannequins, I want to put them in a dress so they feel it really belongs to them,” said Zhang, whose collections are sold by major stockists including Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Matchesfashion and Harrods, which will be giving the brand a special corner on the first floor in the Knightsbridge store in April.
Zhang will be designing an exclusive capsule for the department store, along with additional pieces from his modest collection that he carries when visiting the Arabian Peninsula.
“We will have day to evening dress codes, from dresses, jackets, shirts to denim, as well as fabulous eveningwear. It’s basically going to be my Mount Street store transferred into Harrods,” hinted Zhang of what to expect from the partnership.
“We feel like we’re working towards the same goals with Harrods,” added Zhang. He has been working with the luxury department store for more than three years, as he’s also stocked in the Chinese branch.
Best of WWD
