What a Babe...

Huishan Zhang AW22

The autumn winter season has always been known to be a celebration of society's most elegant and most coveted soirees. Many socialites and aristocracy had made their most memorable and influential appearances during this season. Huishan Zhang celebrates the legacies of Babe Paley and Marella Agnelli in his AW22 collection. Agnelli was an Italian aristocrat, society darling and patron of the arts. In fact, photographer Richard Avedon famously declared her to have been "...the most beautiful woman I ever photographed." And Babe Paley, who was Truman Capote's best friend, American socialite, tastemaker and 20th-century fashion figure. Both were contemporaries who wore haute couture from history’s biggest houses.

This interesting clash of worlds, aristocratic meets pop culture, that Zhang has taken upon himself to interpret for a new generation. If today’s youth were to alter, fit and augment the couture wardrobes of these icons, what might it look like? The result is an eclectic collection of sharply constructed silhouettes juxtaposed with hand-embroidered bustier mini dresses. The black and white theme is a nod to Capote's Black and White Ball.

In an age where we are free to shape our own identities, free from the strict social etiquettes that Agnelli and Paley were surrounded by, the most important thing is to just have fun and live in the moment.