Bailuyu by Fu Wenjie
Natural Harmony
New York Fashion Week SS20! What a chance to share in the excitement of viewing the creative wonders of up and coming designers, and bask in awe at the genius of established designers.
It is here the Chinese brand BAILUYU BY FU WENJIE’s latest collection “Natural Harmony", an ethereal flow of pristine white with the occasional touch of green, paved a symphonic path of beautifully immaculate designs on the New York runway.
The designs, a collaboration between the designer and her son Justin Du, brings a deep sense of connection for Fu Wenjie’s Spring/Summer 2020 (SS20). The ready-to-wear women's clothing were elegantly paired with laid-back minimalist footwear and slicked back hairstyles, presenting a beautiful, yet simple, white color palette with pops of moss green spotted on sweatshirts, chiffon skirts, and elegantly accented on the eyelids of the models.
This minimalist design concept, juxtaposed by a richly complex set of influences throughout the collection, drew inspiration from the ancient Chinese Confucian classic ‘Book of Rites - The Doctrine of the Mean’; and, an air of tolerance and harmony underscored the intricate pieces.
The universal language of music and society are drawn on through fabric manipulations by the sewing of lace and ruffles into the garments, much like audio editing techniques used in music production. The visual appeal shows audio clips of phrases that included "beauty", “nature” and “the world is family” embroidered on the garments emulating sound frequency.
The finale brought a pleasant sense of lightness to the runway in a ceremonial cascading of bright white tones. Through the use of natural plant fiber fabric and plant dying techniques, it is apparent the designer's hope to represent the returning to nature through both environment and society.
Hair: Jorge Luis on behalf of MILBON USA
Makeup: Michelle Webb on behalf of AOFMPro using Dermalogica
Photography © Eugene Manning