Creatives in Practice: Demon Zhang

Creatives in Practice:

Demon Zhang

“This time, I wanted to express a story of pushing boundaries.“

As a Fashion Print graduate at the illustrious Central Saint Martins and former assistant to fashion legends Lee Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, there aren’t many with as much valuable, in-field experience as Demon Zhang. The Chinese designer would go on to start their own label MITHRIDATE in Guangzhou, China and debut at London Fashion Week for the AW20 season, just over three years ago.

The name and brand are centred around the metaphor of the mystical elixir created by King Mithridates VI that cures all toxins and poison as Zhang searches to create the antidote for individuals that are constantly searching for their identity through fashion. By making their pieces gender-neutral, MITHRIDATE encourages individualism and expression in dress as the label strives to provide clothing that makes the wearer feel free from all inhibitions, embracing the creativity, personality and storytelling instilled into each collection.

Whether you look at the nature-inspired, “The Mirror Room” Spring/Summer 2022 collection or the latest aviator-style Autumn/Winter 2023 collection, a common theme amongst their work is the ethereal, fantastical undertone that their clothing holds thanks to the cohesive nature of the garments. The capsules feel grand and cinematic, reluctantly waiting to tell a tale of the concept alongside the intricate tailoring and showstopping accessories.

Join us as we discuss wearable technology, their inspirations and the design process for this collection.

Interview: Jotaro Joden | @joejoden
Photography: Jotaro Joden | @joejoden

I read that you get your inspiration from other forms of art such as painting, what elements do you tend to take from and how do you translate these onto your garments?

I grew up drawing, and the fact that I chose to do print design at university also comes from this passion. I always like to hint at the existence of a ‘storyline’ in my collections. The context, the people, and the environment – all of the different aspects that make up the story form the foundations of my patterns in a specific collection, and act as the ‘indicators’ for the fabrics I choose. Meanwhile, the variety of craftsmanship employed in each collection also helps me convey the mood of the ‘story’ I’m trying to tell.

What is the most important design element that you focus on when building collections?

Light – everything related to light. Narratives and descriptions on light has always been present in my world of design.

I noticed an aviator-styled theme in this show, what was the story and design process for this AW23 collection?

This time, I wanted to express a story of pushing boundaries. I, therefore, used the theme of flight to express this sense of discovery – the spirit of breaking through the confines of nature and the determination to defy all physical, cultural and social limitations to achieve a step forward in human history. Specifically, I was inspired by the spirit of the many revered women pilots and aviators, their complex layers, their experiences, their historical accounts that appear in posters and images.

I saw you used LEDs/lights on some of the looks in this collection, is wearable technology something you’d like to explore?

LED and other light source technologies are now becoming more and more accessible. That’s why my team and I have explored these new elements in our design process. We’ve discovered, as technology becomes more sophisticated, these ‘high-tech’ garments have also evolved to suit daily use – some of them are washable (or even washing-machine safe) and easy to take care of. For designers, discovering new materials is like having a new toy – it never fails to excite us. Especially with the increasing number of high-standard sustainable materials in the past two years. I believe these build towards the future of fashion.

Of course, for MITHRIDATE, comfort will always remain as one of the core values of our designs.

How do you want people to interpret and digest this collection?

First and foremost, I want them to be able to enjoy the visual experience that we have curated for them. As for how to interpret it, I believe everyone has a story about flying or the sky in their mind. If it evokes exciting thoughts or a nostalgic past, then I’m happy.

How do you want people to feel when they wear your garments?

Comfort/confidence/autonomy of choice.

“Narratives and descriptions about light have always been present in my world of designs.“

Is there a piece or look within this collection that particularly stands out to you? Why?

I love the whole collection. We actually made so many styles that our internal design team all found it extremely difficult to choose which looks to put on the runway. But I was most impressed with the large gown made with reflective fabrics and LEDs. First of all, because it took so long to create the dress, especially sorting out the bulbs – we had to count each and every little one of them many times.