Praised by some of the world’s most famous fashion bibles such as Vogue and SSENSE, young creative LuQi Yu has dedicated her blood, sweat, and tears to creating her fashion label NoDress. With icons like Avril Lavigne, and Emma Chamberlain rocking her designs, there’s no doubt Yu will continue to progress within the industry. Not only has Yu poured her heart and soul into her creative processes but has done so in a way that is different from any other designer.
Inspired by Chinese and Japanese 90’s archive photography and fashion, NoDress was created to embody the 21st-century version of this nostalgic and iconic era. While analyzing the brand, I quickly got sucked into a hypnosis. From browsing the brand’s website ( NoDress67.com), Instagram (nodress_online), Depop (yu67), and even the designer’s personal socials and portfolio, it was clear NoDress simply just did fashion differently. Not only does the designer illustrate fashion as an art form, but also a form of empowerment.
In her online portfolio found on artsthread.com, she includes a synopsis on her newest collection “Tropical Love”. LuQi Yu states “Tropical Love, a collection of textiles and silhouettes, takes inspiration from my questioning, my curiosity of ‘what is right or wrong’, combined with the humid air of the tropics, the restless nights, neon lights, the waves of ocean, the swaying bodies of women; all elements totally different from my living environment, which haunt my mind like a sticky and transient joy.”
“Growing up in a sexual repressed environment, I have been confused about how women express their desires. I was also very ashamed to express my feelings as a woman and talk about it. When I traveled to Thailand I was exposed to ‘call girls’ wearing heavy make-up and strong, sexualised fashion looks that exposed their bodies as they stood in the street to attract customers. I’m fascinated by how these women show their desire and body in this straightforward way, and curious about how they surpass themselves, questioning – Is there a border in their inner space? Are they just products in the window or the masters of their own consciousness?”
“I consider myself as a woman and with the effects of my culture – how does this affect the way I dress? I design? I wanted to create beautiful fabrics that could be worn by women to empower them.”
The fact that she has created such meaningful work while simultaneously furthering her knowledge within textiles is truly inspiring as a fellow fashion creative. The following pictures capture some of my favorite concept ideas from the artist’s newest collection “Tropical Love”.
