Huishan Zhang wants to dress the daughters of the most discerning haute couture clients around the world — and he’s getting there.
His decadent cocktail dresses, signature feather embroideries and feminine tweeds have been appealing to many mother-daughter duos, who keep coming back to order special pieces for their daughters and plan their post-pandemic wardrobes.
So for pre-fall, he wanted to keep feeding their appetites by creating the dream, modern-day wardrobe of a young, couture heiress.
“We imagined this couture client commissioning pieces over her lifetime and having this lasting influence on her daughter, who is now in her mother’s closet, and creating a look of her own,” said Zhang on a Zoom call from China, where he has stayed put for two years.
The look is still dressed-up and polished for mother to approve, but in keeping with the times, the designer put more focus on functionality and freedom of movement, with light, silk taffeta fabrics; loose A-line silhouettes for gowns, and feather-embellished denim. He also added some edgier finishing touches in the form of combat boots or latex headbands.
“We’re talking to a younger generation, now coming of ages and appreciating more than just hoodies. That’s why we are modernizing these couture techniques, bringing them into ready-to-wear and giving girls the freedom to mix-and-match,” added the designer, who is getting ready to celebrate his 10th anniversary this year.