Shanghai-born designer Di Du is a recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp where she graduated with a degree in fashion. Now based in Paris, she launched DIDU in 2018, a label that draws inspiration from her Chinese cultural heritages, mixed with western cultures
Recently she partnered with provocative accessories designer Creepy Yeha Yeha Leung on an editorial. Leung was shot a pair crystal dragon heels, first produced by Di Du in 2019. The platform, lace up sandals serve the dual purpose of highlighting dragons, a mythical creature often referenced in Chinese culture, and the often ignored style legacy of strippers.
Providing her thoughts on the editorial on Instagram, Di Du wrote, “When I designed these heels, as a Chinese designer I really wanted to use the stereotypical traditional symbol of China the dragon, play with it and to offer a new perspective. Dragons used to be wrapped around columns in ancient china palaces as a sign of royalty and power.
“I wanted to mix this symbol with the stripper heels which really represents an inspiring and important underground culture that has been existing for long. It has inspired and nourished countless designs but has never been recognized positively. I wanted to make it end and bring attention to the strength of these women with the Dragon Heels”
Check out Di Du and Huang’s editorial below.
