Kim Shui Crowdsourced Her Latest Show
Fashion

Kim Shui Crowdsourced Her Latest Show

Whether having Azealia Banks close out the runway or making a nostalgic reference to Disney's Mulan, designer Kim Shui knows how to deliver a show that leaves Fashion Week attendees talking long after the last model walks off the runway. Her Spring 2023 presentation is no exception.

Moving the runway to the bustling heart of Grand Central Station, Shui's latest show sought to invite fans and other creatives into the mix through a myriad of ways from an open casting call to crowdsourcing material for its soundtrack and a one-of-a-kind dress. Shui called on the masses to help put her latest collection together each step of the way, hoping to empower new talent and pull the curtain back on the industry.

As part of her runway presentation, Shui showcased a cap sleeve dress that featured a digital print the designer made from 700 crowdsourced pixels. Shui carries on this notion of decentralizing creative ownership of the dress by memorializing it as an NFT which will be redistributed to all of the artwork's contributors.

Keeping with the crowdsourcing theme, Shui drew upon anecdotes from fans and a pool of rising talent to craft the show's 16-minute soundtrack, partnering with streaming service TIDAL and producer Stelios to bring her vision to life.

Shui's choice of venue, Grand Central Station, brought the elite world of high fashion to the masses by offering unsuspecting commuters a glimpse of the action on and off the runway, demystifying and democratizing the process at the same time. Similarly, Shui took to the internet to put out an open call for models, stylists and photographers for her Spring 2023 presentation as a way to provide more people the opportunity to work a NYFW show.

Take a look behind the scenes of Kim Shui's Spring 2023 collection presentation below.

Photo courtesy of Theo Wargo/Getty