Uma Wang RTW Fall 2023 – WWD

Uma Wang, one of China’s earliest designers to show overseas, returned to Paris after being stuck in China for three years to present a fall 2023 collection that offered some new and unexpected developments at the brand, as well as a remix of the classic, earthy and rich textiles that she is known for.

The show, which took place at the same location Wang last used, experimented with denim, a material she had never worked with.

Also for the first time, Wang was not afraid to include something shiny in the collection. The show started with a slew of looks made with red bonded linen. It exuded a luxurious, leather-like quality and formed a striking contrast with the plush materials, including bonded industrial felt, velvet, cashmere and shaggy faux fur. All the fabrications were specially developed by her long-term Italian suppliers.

The designer said she always starts the collection from fabrication, which according to her is “the most emotional part of the design process. I cannot start with the shape or style. It is impossible for me.”

The giant jewelry pieces wrapped around the necks and bodies, meanwhile, were inspired by halos, a motif that straddles multiple cultures, just like Wang does. She saw them in western religious paintings and on the wall paintings inside China’s Mogao Caves.