Huishan Zhang RTW Fall 2023

After three years in China during the pandemic, Huishan Zhang landed back in London with a bang. One of his first stops was Buckingham Palace, where he attended a reception hosted by King Charles III marking Lunar New Year.

It didn’t end there. Another British institution, Harrods, is welcoming him back with a pop-up shop that’s set to open in April. It will be located on Harrods’ first floor and stock the mainline collection, as well as a special modest capsule that Zhang creates for his Middle Eastern customers.

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During his three years in China, the designer continued to create collections, present them in his London shop on Mount Street, and conduct interviews remotely. He also built up a formidable private client base and said he’s inundated with orders.

Some of those clients attended Friday’s show dressed like a flock of exotic birds in the designer’s feathery, fluttery, feminine designs.

For fall, Zhang took a darker turn, sending out a Hitchcock-inspired collection filled with early ’60s glamour, and a harder edge.

There were sleek pencil dresses with long, black ribbon details, or sharp shoulders; headscarves reminiscent of Tippi Hedren in “The Birds,” and a sheer black lace dress with bell sleeves.

Later in the show, those slim and structured ’60s silhouettes gave way to softer, more exuberant designs, such as a fuzzy magenta coat, a pink feathery dress and a grasshopper green gown with little fringes.

They were as joyful as spring, and should appeal to his flock of socialite fans and red carpet regulars.

Launch Gallery: Huishan Zhang RTW Fall 2023

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