#008 /unlokk by eason wang
When our intern Jared mentioned a young fashion designer that he had recently met backstage at Eco Fashion Week, we wondered if it would make a good story for T/m. When Jared showed us his EFW collection we KNEW it would be a great story!! We are so excited to feature some of this collection from freshman designer, Eason Wang. Eason not only designed these clothes under his label, UNLOKK, he styled the shoot with RICHARD’S “new face” Vincent Selina. He was also gracious enough to sit down with us for this interview, just days before packing up his studio and moving back home to Shanghai.
/eason wang
Thanks for meeting with us Eason, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? How old are you?
My name is Eason Wang, I’m 20 years old and I am from Shanghai.
How long have you been in Canada?
Three years, I came here to finish my high school.
What grades of high school did you do here?
I did grade 11 and 12 and then I went to Blanche Macdonald for one year for fashion design. I graduated last November (2011).
How was that experience?
It was very busy, and stressful… there is a LOT to learn!
Did you know how to sew before you went?
No, I had NO idea…
Did you learn how?
No…
laughing…
I hadn’t even taken a textiles course before I went there, so the first sewing class was really shocking!
laughing…
What about pattern making?
Well, it makes sense to me, I love math and it feels like math to me, it was not difficult for me.
So, flat pattern making. What about draping?
We didn’t learn draping but I learned it by myself. Draping can look kind of random but once I get a certain shape that I want then I learned how make it into a pattern.
I had my first fashion show while I was still in school.
You did, how did the rest of the students take that?
It was the TASS (teacher & student show), it wasn’t really part of my school so it didn’t bother anyone. I made 12 looks, 6 male and 6 female and everyone thought that I was crazy because I also had so much studying and homework from school.
How did you pull off all of that?
I didn’t sleep (laughing)… but that is how I got into the fashion industry here because I put myself out there and I pulled my own models, hair & makeup. I know how to put on a show now because I was determined to learn how.
How did this collection for EFW come about?
Well, Myriam who puts on the show had seen the TASS and then asked a friend of mine who works for her to ask and see if I would like to be part of the EFW. I had time between the show and my Blanche Macdonald graduation show but I only had 2 1/2 weeks to put a collection together and so I looked at it as a challenge and asked myself “how many looks can I put together?
How many did you do?
I did 20 looks.
Wow!
Was it easier to do this show when the theme was already there, recycled, re-used etc.?
Well it has to have a common thread to be a collection, but the recycled content and eco theme was not the most important thing to me, because as a designer I think the most important thing is to focus on the design…
Right…
because most people when they go in a store they they don’t look at the fabric content on the label, if they like the design they will buy it, if it is re-cycled then it is just a bonus.
We really love the outfits that we shot for this issue (and next issue!) were they made from eco friendly materials?
No, I didn’t have the time or money so I made this whole collection from scraps and leftovers from my studio and other places!! I didn’t even have shoes for the show so I put tape around the models feet and on their arms.
We LOVED that detail from the photos we saw from the show, you are VERY talented with your styling Eason!
You have to figure something out, make it work somehow.
Well, it really fit with the show and didn’t look silly or out of place.
How was the show received?
Really well, there were a lot of bloggers there and other media and now people know about me and my name is starting to get out there. I am getting to know some photographers and have been asked to style some editorial shoots.
Do you have any design icons that you look up to? Inspirations?
I like street style but I also like Alexander McQueen, John Galiano, Gareth Pugh and some other young designers. I also like photography, architecture, ghosts and aliens. And tumblr!!
Aliens AND tumblr!! (laughing) Wow, that’s crazy 🙂
You are moving back to Shanghai in a few days, are you going to be designing while you are there? How long will you be there?
I am going to be working with a fashion magazine and meeting new people, I will probably be there for 6 months or so and then, hopefully off to New York.
Well, thank you for the shoot and interview. Do you have any parting words for our readers?
Don’t take fashion too seriously, it is fun and shouldn’t make you stressed out, so have fun!
Thanks again Eason and safe travels!
Credits:
model / vincent selina for richard’s international model management
photography / victor john penner for T/m
producer / marlisse penner for T/m
hair / tania becker @ moods hair salon for nobasura / using bumble and bumble hair products
makeup / caitlin callahan using mac cosmetics
styling / eason wang for unlokk
clothing / all by eason wang for unlokk
assistant / rob seebacher
retouching / pongsakorn (pong) yananissorn
intern / jared nome for T/m
lighting / broncolor from flashpoint photographic rentals
grip / flashpoint photographic rentals
video / direction / victor john penner for T/m
video / camera & editing / david james for thekreative
music / “3 cigarettes” licensed by apm music
special thanks to the following for their support and/or loan of products and service…
apm music
flashpoint photographic rentals / berndt luchterhand & staff
nikon cameras
unlokk / eason wang
richard’s international model management / richard a. hawley,
gerry brown, rya berkelaar
fantastic clothes. perfect photography. beautiful cinematography
This set is just awe inspiring!
Glad to be a part of something so breathtakingly awesome!
– Pong
Thanks Pong!
Pong is interning with us before he starts design school in the fall and did the re-touching on these images. Great job!
Victor John Penner
Creative Director