Husbands Laurence Li and Chico Wang are about to become your newest fashion obsessions. The design duo are the brains and pens behind their Canadian-based womenswear and accessories brand Laurence & Chico, formed after they worked together as students at Parsons School of Design, the starting base for many of today's most exciting up-and-comers. Yesterday, Li and Wang presented their Spring 2018 collection "Makeup Factory," inspired by the imaginative beauty looks of their friend and famed makeup artist Cui "Masa" Xiaohong — and her fantastical tendencies really come through. The collection is comprised of 20 looks, spawned from Li's own illustrations, that stretch the capabilities of fashion, with ruffled denim, glittery tweed, and larger-than-life hairdos embellished throughout. Now, Laurence and Chico are spilling all about the collection, and the unconventional way that they met.
How did you two meet?
We met on a gay dating app.
Tell us about the idea behind the Makeup Factory.
The Makeup Factory is inspired by our fantasies about the glamorous world of makeup and our friend Masa, the creator of Chinese cosmetics brand Marie Dalgar. Chico designed the collection with over-the-top glamour and dramatic beauty in mind.
Laurence: I drew all of the prints and illustrations featured in the collection by hand!
You're from Vancouver? Is there a lot of fashion inspiration happening there?
Yes! We are based in Vancouver. There is definitely a lot of inspiration there, but we are inspired not only by fashion, but everything in our daily lives – no matter where we are.
What do you love about showing at NYFW?
We went to school here at Parsons, so it makes sense for us to show here. We love the vibe and the energy of everyone working together to bring our visions to reality.
Tell us all about the hair and makeup.
Chico does wig hats every season depending on the season's theme. This season is all about makeup. The wigs were designed to look like exaggerated makeup brushes. As for the makeup, Masa, the founder of Marie Dalgar, created bold, glamorous beauty looks that fit our theme. She incorporated crazy glitter, pearls and feathers!
Photos from BFA