For designer Eva Xu, according to a press release, “The ACFN woman creates for life. She is artistic, elegant, intuitive and adventurous.” While the satin suits and trench coats of the Spring ’18 collection certainly demonstrated the elegance that Xu aims for with her label, very few individual pieces demonstrated artistic traits.

Perhaps the most creative aspect of this show was the way in which the clothes were layered. Unbuttoned puffer coats held together by knotted leather belts, and suede tops lightly covered by motorcycle jackets certainly made for a refreshing aesthetic. However, it was difficult to ignore the somewhat tacky metallic foiling that often appeared on the bottoms of Xu’s dresses and skirts. Given that Xu’s past designs have been notably inspired by the “Chinese philosophy of simplicity”, her intention to add a modern contrast to these pieces was appreciated. But this combination of fabric and foil simply did not come together in a complementary fashion. In fact, it made it quite unclear who the All Comes From Nothing woman is, and what she wants her clothes to say about her.

Next season, it would be enticing to see the label reflect the contemporary Asian street style found in the aisles of the runway, as these looks arguably demanded more of our attention. This fall, would it go against Xu’s vision to incorporate grey wigs, bold green lipstick and furry hats? Or would it simply reinforce the “adventurous” characteristic that the ACFN woman should uphold?

Email Elijah Smith at [email protected].