On a Midtown rooftop on Sept. 14, bikers stomped down a catwalk in pastel garbs for Shawn Lin’s New York Fashion Week show. He debuted his independent label, “Viator Felis,” and its new collection, “Duality,” which is a harmonious balance of rugged and elegant styles.

Lin was mentored by and currently works with Naoki Takizawa, the former creative director of ISSEY MIYAKE, Helmut Lang and Uniqlo — brands known for their seemingly simple yet delicately crafted appearances. Under Takizawa’s atelier, Lin has supported him in making clothes for clients such as the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, and worked on the quietly luxurious Uniqlo x Ines de la Fressange collaboration.

His experience in Japanese couture has also exposed him to subcultural styles. Both skateboarding and motorcycle cultures in Japan are fueled by their rebelliousness. Despite their dramatic contrasts to the traditional refinement of fashion houses, Lin finds himself drawn to their nonconformity.

Lin combined his tutelage in high fashion and interest in subcultural style through “Duality.” It’s a ground-breaking testament to the flexibility and innovation that fashion is supposed to be a beacon for. The collection bridged the gap between delicate minimalism and riotous counterculture, with models wearing combinations of light-colored fabrics, lace and buttoned-up coats, as well as motorcycle jackets, sneakers and baseball caps.

One of the stand-out looks was a light blue jacket and skirt set. The jacket had the appearance of a biker jacket, but it was made out of a light, airy material like that of a windbreaker. White, sporty crew socks complemented the look, bejeweled with dazzling pearls. Topping the whole outfit off was a delicate lace head piece, casually tied together in the back ponytail-style. Every single part of the outfit conveyed a sense of duality, with each item of clothing including a contrasting detail or material to the final look itself.

This outfit, along with many others in Lin’s collection, challenged the notion that contemporary fashion is too compartmentalized by standards that corrode authenticity. Lin told WSN that he wanted to create a collection that would help the wearer of the clothes break free from aesthetic norms.

“I’m trying to blend both [styles] together to convey a sense of freedom,” Lin said. “It’s okay to be different.”

His collection demonstrated that even a single piece of clothing needs to exist outside the box. Not only does this allow for free stylistic experimentation, but it can also help individuals incorporate bits and pieces of different culturally-based communities in their style in order to express their own identities. 

Some might say that blending contrasting aesthetics takes away from the original nature of a style. For example, if a roughed-up punk-rocker were to wear delicate pink ribbons, the punk-rocker may be told that they are no longer punk. Lin strongly disagrees with this notion.

“I’m not trying to deny [counterculture] because I think that’s just how the culture should be,” Lin said. “I’m trying to create a new voice to let people know that actually there are some people who are speaking out in this way, and why not just [not] be afraid to do what you want to do.”

Through his debut collection, Lin affirmed that all cultural communities harbor a semblance of connection to others, whether it be through fashion, lifestyle or interests. But what also rang true in “Duality” is that anyone existing between communities instead of within them are not alone — they are simply carving their own path towards individualism. Wanting to uplift outliers who live on the blurred lines of aesthetics, Lin communicated that choosing the road less taken is a form of expression, a dream worth holding onto in an increasingly divisive world.

Contact Yuuki Lubin at [email protected].