The Next Generation of Menswear

In the shadows of Shenzhen’s Wutong Mountain is the studio of Fiona Lau and Kain Picken, the designers behind Ffixxed Studios. The picturesque setting gives the duo a peaceful point of reference that inspires their lifestyle and clothing line. Having originally met in Berlin, the partners’ collections embrace the tension between urban and rural life, highlighted by a hectic schedule that sees them hopping from Shanghai and Hong Kong to London.

In their latest menswear collection, loosely tied kimono jackets are paired with billowing pants and slippers worn with socks in a soothing palette of black, white and grey, exuding an air of ease and relaxation.

New approaches to genuine sustainability should define our core values. At the same time, China is on a fashion fast track. Design viewpoints are deepening and the hunger for local perspectives is growing just as the country begins to engage internationally and the world tries to put a stamp on just what exactly Chinese design is. This leaves young Chinese designers in an unparalleled position as designers of tomorrow. “They are very aware of the important role they play in shaping their own cultural landscape,” says Picken. “You can already see a certain spirit emerging.”

“We think that the word ‘gentleman’ is gradually being modified as time goes by,” says Calvin Chan, the co-founder of emerging menswear label, The World Is Your Oyster. Designing for this new generation of sartorially inclined men together with Joyce Kun, the duo intertwine classic tailoring and youth culture, with references from the world of music and film adding modernity and relevance to the label’s inspired collections.

“Stay young, keep learning and enjoy it together all the way.”

“It’s great encouragement for us to know that our vision and aesthetics are being appreciated,” says Chan of his collaboration with Lane Crawford. “The initiative spearheads growing opportunities for Hong Kong-based labels like us in a landscape that is strengthening.” For Chan and design partner Joyce Kun, both individualism and a sense of joie de vivre are essential for the future: “Stay young, keep learning and enjoy it together all the way,” says Kun.