Shanghai-born designer Judy Wu knew for certain that she was going to become a fashion designer, after witnessing the unforgettable moment at the Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 1999 runway show, when two robots spray-painted “Dress No. 13.” London’s cosmopolitan air suited perfectly her personality, so she decided to pursue a degree in Womenswear at Central Saint Martins a few years later. After graduating, she worked at House of Holland, Jasmine De Melo and Ne-tiger (a couture house in Shanghai) before launching her namesake label in 2013. She debuted her eponymous line with her Autumn/Winter ’13 collection “A Crack in Time.” Today, Judy is proudly part of “Branded Heritage” by raising awareness for British fashion.
Defining her aesthetic through clean-cut silhouettes with a feminine-yet-edgy twist, she always attempts to find the right balance between creativity and wearability. From Western modernism and traditional Chinese art to nature and romantic tales, approaching clothing as object d’ art is fundamental for the young designer. Her inspiration is translated into innovative pattern cutting techniques, sharp tailoring, different textures and bold graphics, which have come to be the designer’s signature. Judy aims “to marry classic tailoring with contemporary aesthetics to create fashion possibilities that can empower a modern-day woman.”
For her Spring/Summer ’15 collection, Jardim Botânico in Rio de Janeiro served as Judy’s muse. The idyllic environment of the gardens nourished her inspiration, making the designer feel as if she was spirited away, and eventually providing the name for her collection – which is no other than “Spirited Away.” Each of the designs transcends from original photography taken from Judy herself, which comes to life through minimal shapes and forms; the vital energy of the gardens and the intertwined intricacy of the palm trees inspired the prints, pleating, beading and textures and the subtle, spring palette colors of the collection. Images of the “Arecaceae” (palm tree) were taken against the backdrop of Rio’s skyline, and display delicate and intricate pattern formations which are nature’s arrangement.
After a growing presence in the British and international press, Judy is now ready to turn heads partaking for the first time in the upcoming London Fashion Week; she will present her Autumn/Winter ’15 collection with Fashion Scout, so make sure you look out for her!
Browse the full Judy Wu S/S ’15 collection here.
Images © Diego Indraccolo for Judy Wu
www.judywu.co.uk
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