Considered one of China’s first global labels, Uma Wang has taken the world by storm. Always exhibiting undeniable skill, she trained at the Chinese Textile University in Shanghai and Central St. Martins in London. She designed for numerous labels for years before creating her own, launching her first line in 2009. Since then she has been on an upward rise, amassing success and astounding the public without fail every year. She has showcased catwalk collections in London, Shanghai and Milan fashion weeks, with critical acclaim from industry insiders. In 2012, she received the honor of being chosen by the Council of Fashion Designers of America for its inaugural China exchange.
When she was younger, she would read esoteric books with her father, and found that her imagination was boundless, as she easily worked through problems without standard answers. Her creativity is translated directly into her work, along with different aspects of her personality, from her upbringing to her experiences in adulthood. Rules and secular traditions have never been able to stint her ingenuity.
Creating her own knits and textiles has become Uma Wang’s specialty. She later fuses these elements together within the garments, producing unexpected and unique compositions. Because she intimately knows her fabrics, their weight, and the way they move, Wang masterfully drapes silhouettes that have refined ease and simplicity. This allows the exquisite and unique textiles to shine as the focal point.
Her color sensibility is unique as well, as each collection is extremely cohesive in spite of the various patterns in use. From gold and fuschia florals to black and yellow stripes, Uma has created work that leaves many breathless. Uma is no stranger to color, with vibrant emeralds appearing amidst more subdued and earthy tones in her previous collection for Spring 2018. However, the fuschia featured this spring is a surprise delight, whether worn in large portions through tailored jackets or color blocked on maxi dresses. Asymmetric elements can also be found throughout Uma’s work in dresses and blouses patterned with florals. Meanwhile, tie details are strategically placed on everything from scarves to button up shirts, and even blazers. This makes it easy to transform many of her garments to one’s liking, while simultaneously making the wearer feel like they’re on a constant journey of discovery with her pieces.
Uma travels between her two studios in Italy and Shanghai, and she constantly implements aesthetic statements from numerous cultures. Her work consistently balances femininity and lightness accompanied by an avant-garde undertone. Textural, romantic, experimental, and contemporary, Uma Wang is a designer to watch for years to come.
In the new spring collection, Uma proves she has no problem incorporating bold colors into her typically muted palette, easily integrating more cheer. Uma’s references are characteristically vast, as the spring collection incorporates influences from Morocco, France, England, India, China and Italy.