Monster ate my Couture: You Should Know: Deng Hao

The stage is set. Beautiful lights flood the arena while the cathedral windows in the background enhanced the beauty of what was to be seen. What everyone saw next was sheer drama, as one of China’s leading designers unfolded her range of Couture for Spring/Summer 2012.

Deng Hao. The very name may not ring a bell to many of us, but she is the epitome of the fashion industry in east Asia. If you ever Google her name, all you get are pictures of her latest couture line, and tid bits of her tryst with London Fashion Week. But nothing concrete. Except a page on her website which is ONLY in Chinese.

When I saw her works, I knew I had to write about her.

Deng Hao.

Deng Hao began her label in 1993 in Shenzhen. She takes her inspirations from Chinese and Islamic architectures and incorporates the taken elements in a contemporary way. Her designs are flattering and glamorous. She once said that she wants to help her customers to “bloom as flowers”. She has a daughter named Nicole Xie who collaborates with her to create the intriguing collections which they unleash every season. Xie graduated from Central St. Martins. Deng Hao is also known for her fabulous knitting techniques which she integrates with her clothes and her good sense of surface embellishments which are seen in most of her garments.

Master in Knit Manipulation.

In September 2011, more than 20 Chinese fashion houses and brands turned up at London Fashion Week to show off their country’s progress in the business. The participants included the likes of Haiping Xie, Omnia Luo by Zheng Luo, Moreline, BBLLUUEE, Awakening and Deng Hao.

Deng Hao presented a collection with a focus on reds and greens. She named it “Flower Devil: GuRan Oriental Scarlet”. Her garments were a blend of contemporary UK high street and traditional Chinese motifs. Sheer was much used and somehow the revealing garments were perfectly au courant.

London Fashion Week, September 2011.

Her latest collection, featured in November 2011, was Spring Summer 2012: Couture. It is one of my favourites. Every garment tells a story. I’m somehow reminded of those long forgotten Chinese warriors. Fierce and deep. The colours were mostly those dull ones in tones of moss, burgundy and greys except they were intelligently mixed and matched to look extravagant to say the least. Clever pattern making added to the glory the show turned out to be. Also, I think after a long time, digital prints actually made a huge impression on me after McQueen. It reminded me of those stained glassed windows which those stereotypical churches have. But it is however said that she had taken inspiration from Islamic architecture. But whatever! It looked marvellous none-the-less.