Photographed by Alina Ferraro

As you probably know, if you have been following our Milan Fashion Week coverage, this year has been a flurry of color, big personalities and new styles. To continue our exploration we went backstage Angel Chen fashion show and got a glimpse of what is to come out of Milan and beyond.

The designer is taking inspiration from the ancient nomadic tribe of western China: the Qiang people. Throughout the collection, Chen showcases her understanding and admiration for the ‘shepherd culture’ of the Qiang community.The collection draws attention from all aspects of this culture. The highly saturated colours, as the main palette of the collection including red, orange, bright yellow and navy, are inspired by their ceremonial headdresses. Chen also pays great attention to the fabric innovation and sustainability: patch tassels serving as the key design feature are skillfully combined cotton cloth with woven fabrics; finely selected Indian hand-stitched embroideries incorporate beads and thick tassels on a silk base; multicolored plaid fabric is woven with thread made from recycled plastic bottles. Moreover, thanks to the participation, at finalist level, to the International Woolmark Prize competition, for the first time the brand has explored the use of wool in the new collection: six-color woolen fur, whose wool jacquard fur has been dyed using an environmentally friendly material called Anofix, added a Qiang inspired cultural flare to avant-garde garments.

For the collection’s patterns, Angel adopts the ideas of the Qiang people and translated them into illustrations, creating a unique totem made of a human face and sheep horns. The idea of a totem was revised, redrawn and aged repeatedly, to create something rough and aesthetic pleasing. The use of puff print gives the large-surface monochrome print a rubber-like texture, adding intricate 3D visual effects to a flat surface. Practical workmen silhouettes remain the position as key pieces in this collection and functional trench coat is also added into the styles. 

Regarding shoes, A/W 2019/20 collection has explored new upper options such as: twill denim, plaid, and sheepskin, etc. The brand’s unique dragon teeth details are also added into shoe styles supported by adidas, creating neo- sports shoes that combine fashion and function. In addition, ANGEL CHEN collaborates again with FOB PARIS, the Parisian watch brand, on their iconic items – pocket and wrisr-watches. Mixed with contemporary knots and feather element which represents the authority of Qiang community, the collaborated watches serve as a special decoration on the whole inspiration of collection.