Feng Chen Wang’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection reimagines the landscapes of Shan Hai Jing through sculptural tailoring, experimental textiles, and a dialogue between the ancient and the avant-garde
A sculptural jacket in bonded neoprene, its surface alive with intricate prints of mythical creatures. A crackled, high-gloss coat that mirrors the delicate imperfections of handcrafted ceramics. These are just two of the standout pieces in Feng Chen Wang’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection, which draws inspiration from Shan Hai Jing, a 2,500-year-old text filled with fantastical landscapes and folklore.
Wang is a Chinese-born, London-based designer known for her avant-garde approach to menswear, often fusing deconstructed tailoring with experimental fabrication. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, she launched her eponymous brand in 2015 and quickly gained recognition for her conceptual storytelling and technical craftsmanship. Her designs frequently explore themes of heritage and futurism, drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese aesthetics, personal narratives and innovative fabrics. Previous collections include Spring/Summer 2024, where she reinterpreted her childhood memories of her grandmother through the use of an ancient botanical contact printing method; and Spring/Summer 2019, which explored themes of love and connection through draping and graphic representations of the ‘other half’.
For Fall/Winter 2025, Wang has deepened her exploration of mythology and materiality, translating the mythical creatures and landscapes of Shan Hai Jing into bold, sculptural and imperfect forms. From hand-painted fabrics inspired by Chinese ink painting to bonded neoprene that mimics traditional textiles like twill denim and wool, the collection is a fine example of what can happen when you let your imagination run free – and when fabric becomes a painterly canvas. Here, she discusses the inspirations behind the collection, the craftsmanship behind each piece, and how she’s transformed an ancient tradition into something wearable, structural yet otherworldly.
Is fashion always something you’ve always wanted to pursue?
Growing up in China, Fujian, I was fascinated by the way clothes could transform, express individuality and tell stories. However, I was always dabbling in art – from traditional calligraphy to watercolour painting, since I was young. Fashion for me was a canvas where I could present my ideas as a collection. Over the past years, my canvas has expanded across garments, footwear, objects, spaces and even vehicles!
Can you tell me more about your deconstructed aesthetic, and what inspires your work?
The approach of challenging traditional notions of perfection and celebrating the imperfections that arise from my creative process, has always been an integral element to the brand’s design language. This “combination of contradictions” – the process of sewing and unsewing different fabrics and silhouettes, exposing raw edges and hidden seams – always inspires me, and even surprises me at times.
You strive to spotlight Chinese heritage and traditional craft in your designs. Can you explain more about this and how it appears in your work?
I draw inspiration from diverse sources, from my childhood of growing up in Fujian, visiting different cities and provinces in China which taught me about the traditional Chinese crafts, heritage techniques and philosophies as well as my travels across the globe. The human form is also a constant source of inspiration, and I strive to create garments that move and flow with the body.
What’s your creative process like?
My creative process is often intuitive and exploratory. I begin with a memory, a mood or a feeling, and then I start to experiment with different materials, techniques and forms. Then the process of research and exploration leads to further sketching and experimentation. Collaboration has always been integral – from my design team to the local artisans and craftspeople who are part of bringing designs to life.
What themes or ideas define your FW25 collection, and how does it build on past work?
For FW25, I was intrigued by a Chinese classic text titled Shan Hai Jing, or the Classic of Mountain and Seas. It painted vivid pictures of majestic landscapes, mythical creatures and cultural accounts of early China. I took inspiration from the swirl of fantasy and reality, into the colours, fabrics and silhouettes of the collection that is timeless yet reminiscent of the traditional.
Can you pick out a favourite piece from the FW25 collection?
I would have to say look 1 and 6. We experimented with the visual elements of reality and fantasy and introduced a new fabrication in bonded neoprene. That allowed us to make jackets which resemble twill denim, and trousers which imitates traditional wool.
What’s next for you – any upcoming projects or collaborations?
I am currently exploring several exciting projects, with several collaborations we have been working with long-term and new partners due to be launched this year. We’re always exploring initiatives for material sourcing and minimising waste, as well as diversifying experiences with the brand.
