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Joe Chia Fall/Winter 2015 menswear
Fashion designers have many reasons for sticking to what they know, but they are all steadfast in the end-products and message they wish to deliver to their audience. Because in the time it takes for each model to parade past the ranks of fashion editors and insiders, months of blood, sweat and, presumably, tears climax in a rally cry to get your attention and acknowledgement.
That’s why it’s encouraging to see the evolution of Joe Chia’s latest chapter. Even when he’s staying true to his subdued colour palette of black, white and grey. Chia’s latest ‘Chapter06 FW15 – Raised by Wolves’ is coined as “the evolutionary process of the human anatomy”. There’s also some mention about “mutation of particles” and “figure-moulded structures” which may have strayed just a tad from Mowgli and Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.
His case may gleefully lack an overarching narrative because his offerings have simply been great without the need to spin an elaborate yarn about refined savagery. And once again, don’t we just love what Chia has conjured.
Introduced at trade shows during the recent Milan and Paris Fashion week. It was another feather in the cap for the 28-year-old who was placed in line with Rick Owens, Comme Des Garçons, Damir Doma, Issey Miyake and Gareth Pugh. While some have mentioned that there’s video gaming influences from Assassin’s Creed, we prefer our own interpretation of an androgynous Prince of Persia in elongated leather jackets (and suits) that reference free-flowing tunics and hooded headgear that resemble the keffiyeh to go along with his cyberpunk sensibilities.
His favourite black beanie is still present. And if you want to look like an avant-garde ninja (who may also be tech savvy enough to hack into the CIA’s mainframe) the winner of Asia’s Most Influential Designer at last year’s Malaysia Fashion Week (MFW) has provided the means. It takes gumption to send looks down the runway that those with international cachet would deliver.
What he’s done to keep his eponymous label without missing a beat is laudable. We still have him pegged as one of Malaysia’s best young designers, giving him the edge in a growing field due to key collaborations withUniqlo,Reebok and Casio’s G-Shock. Joe Chia’s future is bright even if his offerings stay decidedly muted and monochromatic.
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