By: Mike Sabella & Manny Katz, Published: November 29, 2023
Bows, ribbon, and trim – oh my! This season, bundle up with layers of clashing patterns, frilly textures, daring colors – all wrapped up in a pretty bow.
Mike wearing Target pink and red gingham shorts, designer Mike’s own ribbon and fishnet shirt, designer Mike’s own pink ski mask, and Amazon pink platform shoes. Manny wearing Marshall’s lavender turtleneck, designer Mike’s own green fur jacket, UNIF white dress, Free People knitted knee high socks, designer Manny’s own cheetah tank top, and designer Manny’s own brown tonal scarf. Mike wearing Amazon petticoat, Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses, Hot Topic wide brim hat, designer Mike’s own black pants, and designer Manny’s big red bow choker. Manny wearing Free People knitted balaclava, Amazon rhinestone clips, designer’s own bow dress, and Urban Outfitters Kimchi Blue gray bow tie top. Manny wearing designer Manny’s own ribbon choker, designer Mike’s own pink hair bows, Amazon black pleather thigh high boots, designer’s own heart garter, Uniqlo white buttoned down, and Warby Parker glasses. Mike wearing Lazy Oaf striped halter top, Target white skirt, designer Mike’s own patterned jacket, and designer Manny’s mother’s own crocheted hat.
Xander Zhou’s new collection is out of this world: futuristic, unforgettable, and genuinely, A.I. generated. How does Zhou manage to balance innovation, imagination and functionalism?
Close Up of model for Xander Zhou’s Spring 2024 Collection at Shanghai Fashion Week
On October 7th, 2023, Xander Zhou debuted his Spring 2024 Collection as a part of Shanghai’s Fashion Week; or what he refers to it as on his Instagram page, the start of the Pro A.I.Volution. Tails, accessories, and cellphones strutted down the runway in a white, warehouse-like setting accompanied by perfectly tailored suit pants, PVC-like over-pieces, and all types of jackets constructed in non-traditional fabrics for a fantastical, but practical twist on Eastern Tradition.
With these pieces, Zhou attempts to spark the connection in fashion between humans and A.I. by drawing on storytelling elements to create characters within his looks. He’s designed all seventy nine pieces in the collection drawing from inspiration from either prompts or concepts that A.I. has provided – in addition to his genius.
Model on runway for Xander Zhou’s Spring 2024 Collection at Shanghai Fashion Week
In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, “I just think that it’s impossible to imagine what that future looks like, the human mind and its imaginations are too limiting,” Zhou [says] . . . “AI can assist a designer in the stage of processing content. They are highly efficient in presenting you with 1,000 sets of design ideas.”
Models, with runway identities such as cyborgs, lizard people, or super-humans, were spotted on the runway adorning petal-zipped collars that represented their second skin, colors of planets or other universes or galaxies they would have called home, with individualistic accents on a few models, such as multiple arms, multidimensional cutouts, or protective plastic armor. Zhou, a true revolutionary, manages to maintain the wearability of these pieces by nodding to utilitarian and urbanist style and utilizing heavy-weight cottons, knits, and modernist silhouettes, while still keeping his vision alive. According to Essential Homme: “I wanted to create a cinematic scene that’s more surreal than fashionable,” Xander Zhou had explained.
Model on runway and audience for Xander Zhou’s Spring 2024 Collection at Shanghai Fashion Week
All 300 runway attendees were also wearing white lab-coats, to further immerse themselves into the narrative that Zhou created.
Zhou, who obviously adapts a controversial Pro-A.I. stance in the world of fashion, attempts to not only explore the somewhat complicated and ever developing and changing relationship between humanity and A.I., but to also bridge the gap of understanding between people who disagree with his ideas and people who agree with them. His emphasis: the balance of humanity versus artificial humanity – focusing on how they intertwine, while still making sure they won’t blur.
Model on runway for Xander Zhou’s Spring 2024 Collection at Shanghai Fashion Week
“The fashion system’s rules are being rebuilt, old orders are collapsing. Rules? What rules?” Zhou told WWD.
Following their Runway of Dreams debut at NYFW in September, “Adaptive Intimates” are now available in select stores and online. Is the VS&Co company truly looking to revolutionize lingerie for those with disabilities, or just restore their brand image?
Model Michelle Colon for Victoria’s Secret, 2023
The lingerie was made possible from VS&Co’s involvement with GAMUT, an agency that works specifically, among other things, to destigmatize and help disabled persons find modeling jobs. These bras and panties feature magnetic closures, adjustable and removable straps, as well as sensory friendly fabric.
Since the cancellation of their Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in early 2018, and the social and cultural cancellation of the overall Victoria’s Secret brand, the VS&Co company has tried hard to improve their social consciousness. Including women of color in higher positions within the corporate company itself, and bringing LGBTQIA+ and transgender models to the runway were examples of solutions found by the company, but many consumers still don’t buy it.
Savage X Fenty Debut Runway Show, 2018
Victoria’s Secret is not the first company to use disabled models in their runway shows, or create products with the intention of accessibility. In the same year, Rhianna’s Savage X Fenty lingerie line debuted itself on the same stage, and was met with overwhelming positivity and sales revenue.
Via WWD, “People with disabilities are one of the most underrepresented and underserved minority groups in the world,” the company said in a statement. “As a global brand and workforce, VS&Co has a responsibility to connect with, listen to and empower people with disabilities, caregivers and their allies to drive meaningful change within the global fashion industry.”
“Adaptable Intimates” Bra in Black Ivy, Victoria’s Secret $36.95
In 14 different colorways, the “Adaptive Intimates” bras retail at $36.95 and the panties at $16.50.
