8ON8 Autumn/Winter 2024 "The Gourd Winter Concert" Fashion Show
As a guest at the 8ON8 Autumn/Winter 2024 Fashion Show, I found myself transported into a mesmerizing world where fashion and storytelling harmoniously collided. The show, aptly named "The Gourd Winter Concert," unfolded a tale of retired musicians embarking on a poignant journey towards a snow-capped mountain landscape, seeking to create one last performance echoing through the corridors of time.
Life, as portrayed on 8ON8's stage, was nothing short of a surreal, theatrical spectacle bursting with color while remaining firmly tethered to the pull of reality. Gong Li, the visionary designer, seamlessly wove a narrative through visual language and clothing, effectively creating a story that set a scene and developed characters' personalities.
“A group of retired musicians embarks together on a wintry journey towards a serene landscape of snow-capped mountains, for one last performance that will echo through time.”
The vibrant theme and scenery of this season found expression in gradient velvet flocking and particle flocking techniques, meticulously handcrafted to create a scattered snowflake effect, breaking free from the rigidity of conventional flocking techniques. Mountain-style camouflage patterns adorned trousers and were intricately worked into a reverse inlay flower technique on a sweater. The old musicians provided inspiration for cracked plaster prints and knitwear pieces blending suede and coarse yarn, as they gathered by the campfire, playing instruments, and reminiscing about years gone by.
Photographer by : Ariana Saigh @arianasaight