“I LOVE THAT PEOPLE NOWADAYS HAVE MORE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE WHO THEY WANT TO BE. IT’S DEFINITELY COOL TO SEE A MAN IN WOMENSWEAR.”
“I changed nearly the entire collection three weeks before the lookbook shoot,” admits Chin, “I realised that I disliked most of the things I had developed.” Leaving behind several pieces with sequins, prints and embroidery, what is left is a more raw approach to glamour that echoes the designer’s main source of inspiration, Christer Strömholm’s “Les Amies de Place Blanche.” The book offers portraits of transsexuals in late 1950s to early ‘60s Paris. These women frequented the city of lights’ red-light district in hopes of saving up the money to travel to Casablanca and undergo an operation to complete their transition. “I really loved the world under Christer’s camera. It’s sleazy, yet stylish. This image is what I want the collection to look like. Not necessary sleazy, but definitely with a strong, sexual vibe to it,” remarks the Taiwanese designer. There is certainly no lack of sexuality with an abundance of cut outs and plunging necklines, lending itself to the question, what type of men are ready for these clothes? Chin imagines clients who “are more adventurous in what they are wearing,” clearly, but also “a character that enjoys showing multiple sides of their personality. A real person who is true to their emotions.” It may take a bit of a sense of adventure to don a sleeveless pink and black coatdress, but there seems no reason anyone should shy away from the Prada-esque trousers with exposed stitching, no?
