Fun, experimental, sexy. Three words that fashion designer Aiqiong He, originally from China,
uses to describe her final collection. Her designs draw inspiration from the exploration of
people’s deep desires, her dating life and sex games. But most importantly, she is reclaiming
her femininity through her clothes. Coming from a traditional background, Aiqiong started
exploring her sexuality as a mean of distancing herself from the patriarchal society she felt
surrounded by. Her collection retraces the designer’s journey through the discovery of her
sexual power. “It’s really a strong potential, I hope to empower other women to stand out and
stop being shy about it,” she says.
Each garment in Aiqiong’s collection has a meaning tied to it. Deconstructed jackets, to break
gender hierarchy. A coat made of hair extensions, to reminisce over her mother’s long hair. A 3D
print of the designer’s vagina, to lift the stigma existing around women’s sexual pleasure. Red
lace, keychains, padded undergarments and hair – through her clothes, sometimes made of unusual
materials, Aiqiong tells the journey of a woman re-appropriating her sexuality. “At Central
Saint Martins, I’ve learnt that everything has a reason to exist, and this is the story I want
to tell.”
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