London-based menswear designer Ding Yun Zhang had a break out moment during London Fashion Week where he presented a collection of beautifully-colored, space-age outerwear on Wednesday (February 18, 2020).
The show received an extra boost of buzz from the molded foam Yeezy Foam Runner shoes worn by the models. While Kanye West has previewed the Foam Runner, as of now it hasn’t been released at retail.
Zhang graduated from London’s Central Saint Martins in 2018 and showed a hand dyed and embroidered collection, which laid down a foundation for his fall 2020 collection. At the time, Zhang said he was inspired by Jackie Nickerson’s book Farm, which provides portraits of farm workers in several African countries.
“Farm provoked my interest in exploring the difference between clothing selected for pure aesthetic reasons and clothing that is worn out of necessity,” Zhang then explained. “I found that especially in countries with a high poverty rate, dress choices are mostly based on utility. Their way of dressing is informed by their work, which involves their whole body, and by their environment.”
