Set to a brightly lit, constantly changing backdrop, Jia Liu’s Spring/Summer 2018 Fashion Week collection started off with a bang. The first model, a young boy, strutted down the runway showcasing a sleek white suit covered in comic sketches and speech bubbles.

In her show, the Chinese designer often reuses fabrics and patterns, yet the diversity of her silhouettes allows for a cohesion while giving each look its own originality. Liu’s collection showcases three distinct inspirations — “The Emoji Movie”, comic books and the ancient proverb “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”.

One of the defining aspects of the show, was the blend within the parent and child collections. Where many labels fall short by using the same silhouettes and come across as cheesy for their parent-child designs, Liu’s show makes her strength in variety shine through. The variation in design, yet continuous use of fabrics gives her line a sense of both youth and an air of maturity.

Drawing inspiration from “The Emoji Movie”, Liu’s silhouettes ranged from simple t-shirt dresses for adult women to sweatshirts with striped trim for men. A particularly standout piece featured on a little girl was a sleeveless dress featuring a high-low cut with a chapel-style train behind it. The dress displayed baby pink with blue, yellow and pink patterns from the movie dotting the hem. 

Liu’s incorporation of the ancient proverb manifested throughout her clothing with written graphics saying “hear nothing, say nothing”. This was featured on numerous t-shirts and sweatshirts. Perhaps best of all, Liu included monkeys —  the visualization of the ancient proverb — on a black suit with a pattern of monkeys and bananas.

Overall, Liu’s parent-child collection showcased a phenomenal range of fashion and silhouettes, while still managing to incorporate a unity and innocence through the family-friendly themes.

Email Annika Squires at [email protected].