One needs a moment to catch one’s breath after a first glimpse into young designer Gary Wong’s dazzling Couture-like creations.
The Japonism movement, officially arisen in the 80s with masters like Yohji Jamamoto, Issey Miyake and Rei Kawakubo, proposed a clean, sculptural, genderless and austere aesthetic to step forward. Angular-shaped, monochromatic, oversized proportions can be understood today as almost a prediction of the next century’s urges.
Wong’s dexterity in patterncutting definetly does justice to that legacy.
It is his versatility in references and techniques that make his work so superbly groundbreaking.
Manga/anime futuristic references amalgamated with oriental traditional Art. Functional meets ethereal. Contemporaneity reverences tradition. Those are just some of the outstanding merges he accomplishes to flatter us with.
Patternmaker Tomoko Nakamichi, former Bunka Fashion College professor, has had the generosity to share her innovative moulage and two-dimensional combining patternmaking technique to the world. Wong makes her contribution worthwhile.
As he speaks fluent contemporary in his cuts and constructions, his accent sounds a lot like tradition in his Couture-like Lunéville (stone embroidering) and other adornments.
His embellishments are conceived onto impeccably solid, sculptural proportions, always flirting with fine-arts.
A gracious sensuality surprisingly shows up in Wong’s smart game of covering the body while subtly suggesting it’s uncoverage. It feels almost unconscious.
We are talking about -believe it or not- a 2nd year student at Central Saint Martins.
Us at Fashion New Order eagerly look forward to what’s to come!

Pedro Milanezi