Luis Zhu Zhao

Social media enthusiast, design graduate and young talent – Luis is our third and final designer for Brillante Fashion Show. Ahead of his debut appearance in a couple of weeks, we decided to get up close and personal with the man himself.

The designer has Chinese and Portuguese background. This, he admits, has contributed to his strong work ethic that results in careful research and unique designs. When discussing his design approach, the creative reveals that he found himself naturally gravitating towards womenswear. He has always felt more comfort in designing for ladies than gents, and he has noticed that women tend to have a close and intimate relationship with their clothes.

The inspiration for his recent graduate collection was the Doll Festival (1966) painting by the Japanese artist Ushio Shinohara. This particular painting fascinated the designer because it showed a different kind of pop art and went against the preconceived notion that this art form was developed mainly in the United States. Hence why this painting became the key muse for the narrative Louis aimed to portray in his collection. Louis explains: “The painting represents three characters: a geisha, a samurai and a mafia. After an intense amount of research and development, they all were blended into one seamless aesthetic.”

For any designer keeping up-to-date with current and emerging trends is essential and for Luis this is no exception. He always dedicates time out of his busy schedule to scope out various stores; this activity has helped him to understand the importance of details.

When Louis is not designing, he most probably is fixated to his phone and watching a movie. He lists social media as a stress reliever, brain stimulator and a tool that contributes to his design process. On the topic of films, the fashioner recommends Match Point by Woody Allen as an eye-opener because it perfectly describes life and career.

The future is looking bright for Luis with his newly-found freedom from studies and we cannot wait to have him at our show on 18^th September @ Carousel London!

written by Elizabeth Pascka