For Spring 2020, designer Xiang Gao continued her exploration of wearable art in the context of ready-to-wear for her fashion label Penultimate. Gao, who worked under Raf Simons at Calvin Klein, picked up some of the Western and cowboy references from last job and applied it to her own brand, while still incorporating the traditional Chinese and oriental techniques she's known for.
The Penultimate lookbook is a sharp edit of just 10 different looks, with models like Tin Gao posing in elaborate clothes rendered in all kinds of embroideries and appliqués. According to Gao, the inspiration for this season came from the cave paintings in Dunhuang, China. This is mostly visible in the hand-painted swirls, marbling, and decorative stitching that are meant to resemble the cave wall's water and fire paintings.
Posing in front of a retro wallpaper print, the models also had on a cutout patterned panel with hats and earrings placed on top that framed their face. Gao teamed up with creative artist duo Rottingdean Bazaar for the lookbook's art direction, which was photographed by Jacques Habbah.
Click, below, to see all of the looks from Penultimate's Spring 2020 collection.
Photos courtesy of Penultimate
