How did the brand Susan Fang come about?

I’ve lived in China, Canada and the UK, so have experienced a lot of different cultures – drawing and designing fashion have always been an outlet for me, it gives me perspective. When I was studying fashion at Central Saint Martins in London, what struck me the most is how free the environment was; I was really encouraged to use design to express my individuality. During my time in London, I did a six-month internship at Celine, followed by a stint at Stella McCartney as a womenswear trainee. I’ve wanted to have my own brand since a very young age, but it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I decided to establish my own, eponymous label.

Your SS21 show was a huge success, what was behind the collection? 

I wanted to showcase my creative work more freely so decided to organise my own runway show instead of collaborating with an organisation. My inspiration is, inevitably, influenced by the pandemic, which has impacted almost everyone. I wanted to send a message of hope, so I created a set that felt like it was raining, using iridescent lights to mimic a rainbow. It was inspired by the Chinese saying, ‘the rainbow comes after the rain’ – it will become better. To make the hats, I dripped paints on resin to resemble newborn cells and made the bags out of spherical marble toys that are reminiscent of childhood memories – the collection was a fusion of the young and the old.

What’s it like being a designer today in China’s fashion landscape?

Personally, I like to maintain a high level of handmade craftsmanship in my designs, which means I don’t follow the trends in China and tread very carefully when it comes to producing my work out of house. I work with artisans from Yi ethnic minority groups to produce my pieces and really appreciate their handcraft and skill.

What is unique about Chinese design?

Chinese designers don’t have pre-defined design codes, which gives us more freedom to be more experimental with the language of design.
Us designers are collectively shaping and moulding the future of Chinese fashion through Shanghai Fashion Week – there is definitely more room for creativity and different possibilities.

You created some exclusive products for our Selfridges Project Earth initiative using recycled marbles. What are your thoughts on sustainable fashion?

My parents are farmers, so I am inherently conscious of the impact my work has on the environment, which is why I weave sustainability into all aspects of my brand – from the materials I work with to the packaging. In some of my shoe designs, I have incorporated adjustable elements so that people can change the size of the shoe – this is reselling and passing on to different people.

In the Project Earth collection for Selfridges, I deliberately sourced recycled marbles, which are a popular children’s [toy] in China. Marbles carry a lot of nostalgic sentiments because that’s what we grew up playing. Triggering nostalgia is one way I approach sustainability, as it prompts people to think about the beauty of all the old objects they used to have.

What are your plans for Golden Week this year?

I’ve been too busy working on the collection I showed at Shanghai Fashion Week to make plans. However, yesterday a woman recommended going to the Changbai mountains – I’m planning on visiting with my mother…nature is where I find inspiration.