Ziggy Chen is a designer of deep humility. He describes his own personal style as “lazy and comfortable,” an aesthetic perhaps at odds with the photos seen of the artisanally-dressed designer wandering his studio in Shanghai. His success is rooted in a keen sense of balance: ease and effort, nuance and emphasis, practical and sumptuous. What seems laissez-faire when crafted by such a skilled hand perhaps only feels that way because it is so elegant in its drape, so naturally flattering to wear or maybe just so, so soft against the skin.
Ziggy champions slow, intentional design—ultimately eschewing seasonal trends to pursue an aesthetic rooted in sensorial memory. The natural fibers of his practice, such as linen, hemp and cotton, are often treated in-studio via dyeing processes such as over-dyeing and piece-dyeing to achieve the label’s signature weathered patina.
In this newest collection, Gnartricate (a portmanteau of “gnarled branches” and “intricate”), Ziggy Chen draws inspiration from the intertwining plant roots that feed a long-lived and thriving tree—a reference to the unseen, yet foundational elements upon which beauty can flourish.
Across the delivery, he blends traditional Chinese influences, such as Changshan robes and Shanxi architecture, with European silhouettes to share his restrained, intellectual approach to dress.
Pair it With
Ziggy’s Accessories
A complement to the collection, Ziggy Chen’s accessories mirror his core design philosophy—a selection of subtle, well-crafted pieces plucked out of time that act as a finishing touch on a look from this studio.
“Everyone is waiting for a so-called trend, but is the trend more important, or are personal identities? I can surely walk at my own pace.”
— Ziggy Chen
