Founded by Samuel Guidong Yang in London in 2015, Samuel Gui Yang is one of China’s leading fashion exporters today. Yang himself is also something of a hometown hero with a thoughtful East-meets-West aesthetic that has come to define the new Chinese style. Since 2017, Yang has been designing collections with his partner and co-founder Eric Litzen. This season, they celebrated the label’s 10th anniversary with a show at the Rockbund Art Museum, a beautiful example of Shanghai’s unique blend of Eastern and Western architecture that has been located at the intersection of the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek since 1932.
“It feels good to be nostalgic about what we’ve done,” Litzen said, “even though it’s hard for designers to be nostalgic because you want to create something new.” Yang expanded: “You have memories, and then you can create – you can’t create with nothing. It was nice to reflect on what we’ve done and be honest about it.”
The collection included some re-released items, such as the rubber sweater vest from an early outing and her original red dress, which was first introduced in 2017. One particularly stunning piece debuted from 2019 was a jacket that’s tailored and slim but flares out at the hip. All made from superior fabrics and the precise cutting they are known for. Watching the show made me realize what a privilege it is to see designers like these evolve over time.
But there was also innovation, much of it very good and executed with confidence. “When you have 10 years, you take more chances,” Litzen said. Their newfound boldness mainly came in the shape of interesting volumes: a ballgown-like apron, a gorgeous shoulder drape, some dramatic veils, and even a beautiful luxurious veil over a baseball cap. These reflect the practicality of great trousers, easy evening dresses and some fabulous windbreakers. “I think we managed to get a good flow,” Litzen concluded.
Apropos, the duo said that for this collection they contemplated the lunar cycle and its effect on tides and waves – the ebb and flow of energy, the natural rhythms of the ocean. This is a poetic way of reflecting on his own development, but it also had a practical impact on his collection. These were such clothes which looked as good coming in as they did going out. “We wanted something that felt grand, like a big wave,” Yang said. I wish the next decade will be like this too.
