Robert Wun is the first Hong Kong-born designer to close Haute Couture Week in Paris. Gennady Oreshkin reports.

Nature remains Robert Wun’s primary source of inspiration. The designer believes in capturing the essence of nature at its purest in his creations. GBA briefs (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Last month’s Haute Couture Week in Paris, held Jan 23 to 26, was nothing short of spectacular. Haider Ackermann showed the collection he guest-designed for Jean Paul Gaultier — the fourth couturier to be so honored. Schiaparelli — one of the most anticipated haute couture events of the past three seasons — opened the Week. The equally prestigious closing event turned the spotlight on young Hong Kong-born, London-based designer Robert Wun. 

Wun was discovered by Joyce Boutique back in 2012 after his graduate collection debuted at the London College of Fashion. The range showcased perfectly the designer’s eye for proportion, art and whimsy, conveyed through pleats — a motif that would soon become his signature. In 2014, Wun established his label. His unique aesthetic combines influences from both science fiction and nature. 

Hong Kong-born, London-based designer Robert Wun creates customized clothing for showbiz celebs such as Lady Gaga, Billy Porter and Wong Kar-wai. GBA briefs (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Wun’s Paris outing was ominously titled Fear. The designer says he wanted to present “a couturier’s horror story” through the collection. There were multiple references to Stephen King’s It. An all-red ensemble piece — skirt paired with an intricately pleated basque corset, felt hat with an oversize pin stuck through it and a shoe-shaped handbag — brought to mind the infamous red balloon from King’s novel. A black nylon mantle-like creation with thousands of feathers surrounding it like leaves on a tree was trending on Instagram weeks after the show. 

The fashion designer’s worst nightmare was manifest in a deliciously campy white satin ensemble, including his trademark wide-brimmed hat. It had “wine stains” splattered all over. 

Pleated silhouettes are Robert Wun’s signature style, marked by flowy, nearly liquid, pants, helmets and harnesses. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Haunting silhouettes

Wun stormed into the world of high fashion with his trademark pleated silhouettes. Each piece is meticulously, if not obsessively, crafted, whether from leather, chiffon or silk. Wun’s army of ardent patrons includes Doja Cat, Lady Gaga, Billy Porter, Lizzo and, most recently, Janelle Monae at the premiere of Glass Onion (2022). The designer has also been commissioned to create costumes for Britain’s Royal Ballet, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015), and director Wong Kar-wai.

Wun’s signature aesthetic — marked by exceptionally calibrated tailoring, haunting silhouettes, and flowy, nearly liquid pants, helmets and harnesses — is, in part, inspired by the natural world, its birds, insects and flowers. 

“When there’s something so mathematical and precise, it looks computer done,” the designer says of his pleats. “It’s actually an ancient craft.” The ultrasoft feel of the fabrics “speaks so much about the organic beauty that it came from,” he says, likening the finished product to “the feathers in a bird’s wings spread open”. 

Wun’s horror-themed collection at Paris Haute Couture Week featured a white satin ensemble splattered with “wine stains”.  (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Force of nature

Thinking back to how he found his calling, Wun says it was triggered by a “desire to change”. And yet his artistic approach remains old-fashioned in the best sense of the word. 

He believes in taking nature at its purest and translating it into textile design. “We’re always trying to take elements that you can see out (in the world) and transfer them into my craft,” he says. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic raged, forcing hundreds of promising young brands to close their ateliers, the Hong Kong-born designer managed to stay afloat and maintain a thriving business, thanks to a network of loyal patrons. “We started going outwards, making more money, growing, receiving more attention. I changed the way I design … I became bolder; I became less scared, less insecure; I became this designer that runs with an idea.”

The Burnt Gown from Wun’s showcase at Haute Couture Week in Paris in January. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

“Futurist feminist” is how Wun describes his ethos. “It really came from my childhood, my upbringing,” he says. Important influences include the fantasy worlds of anime including Hayao Miyazaki’s works, which often explore humanity’s relationship with nature. 

As a kid, Wun thought he’d grow up to be a biologist, based on the time he was spending outdoors catching reptiles and insects. But just before university, some of Wun’s friends introduced him to the world of fashion. “We’d go thrift shopping and try stuff together,” he says. Soon Wun would realize that the worlds of nature and couture were intrinsically connected and that there was huge scope for mimicry and reinterpretation of the natural processes in his designs. 

“I will always use nature as my inspiration,” says the designer, adding that his aesthetic originates from an “untouched, raw beauty that’s genuine and honest”. A similar ethos is manifest in “the way we create silhouettes, cut things — it’s (about) looking at the idea of timelessness”. His respect for nature extends to “the way we create sculptural shapes and forms, and try to keep them organic”.

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

A new era

Wun scooped the Special Prize at the 2022 Andam Fashion Awards, winning 100,000 euros ($107,200) and a full year’s mentoring by Bruno Pavlovsky — president of fashion at Chanel as well as of France’s Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion (FHCM), an institution that promotes French fashion culture and coordinates Paris Fashion Week. 

“I’m delighted to be the mentor of this edition and begin working with Robert Wun,” Pavlovsky said after the 2022 Andam winners were announced. It was a milestone that brought the young designer closer to that most coveted spot on the haute couture calendar. Not that Wun was a stranger to the world of high fashion. From A-list songstresses to actresses strutting the red carpet, Robert Wun’s network of private clients is substantial. As the designer elaborates, “Our main focus is custom (clientele) who love to order something in their size.”

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Wun also represents a new generation of couturiers embracing genderless fashion. Over the past few seasons, brands including Valentino and Fendi have added menswear to their haute couture collections. However, we are yet to see an haute couture label on the FHCM’s list come up with a gender-fluid range of designs. “Genderless (clothing) is a big thing,” notes Wun. “We’re building, cutting and designing for all different body types. It’s also about sizing and the way (people) see their gender and their representation.”