Dialogue 对话 Uma Wang

“The clothes I design act like a bridge –they connect me with likeminded people.

我设计的衣服就像一座桥——把我和志趣相投的人联系起来。”

Fashion Designer：时装设计师

Fashion designer Uma Wang launched her self-titled label in 2009 and has since become one of the biggest names in the Chinese fashion industry. Her designs are stocked in boutiques across the world and she now lives and works in Shanghai and Italy with her cat, Umi.

中国独立服装设计师Uma Wang于2009年创立了她的个人品牌UMA WANG，并逐渐成长为知名时装设计先锋品牌。她设计的成衣在全球多家精品店均有展售。她目前工作生活在上海和意大利，有一只名为Umi的小猫。

Your clothes are almost more art than they are fashion. With that in mind, who are the designs created for?

My designs are personal, like art, as opposed to tailor-made for people. When I began my label, I wasn't thinking about making clothes for specific kinds of people, but when they're on sale they seem to magnetically attract buyers who share my philosophy, and when I meet those people it's like we've been friends for years. The clothes I design act like a bridge – they connect me with likeminded people.

How did you first realise fashion design was going to be big part of your life?

It was my friends who saw I had an eye for style. When I was about 14 years old we were allowed to buy new clothes for the Chinese New Year, and my friends would always ask me to go to the department stores with them to help them choose. They all wrote in myyearbook how much they wanted me to be a famous designer in the future.

You studied at the Chinese Textile University. Were there any teachers there who stood out as a mentor?

My teacher Bao Mingxing, who influenced me a lot was very into the history of design and textiles. That had a huge impact on my education and my knowledge. I always feel quite lucky to have many teachers and benefactors to help me along the way.

People tend to dress in order to represent how they are feeling on a particular day. How do you want someone to feel when they are wearing Uma Wang?

First of all they have to be comfortable. That's a necessity. And it's not just about the way you wear something –clothes have to match the aura around you, your personality, your essence. Youhave to let the clothes enhance who you really are.

Who would you most like to dress?

The ordinary people, the women in our society. I want to give them confidence. That's such a significant part of my job: empowering the everyday woman rather just focusing on the famous people. Some of my customers have told me that my garments feel like home. I like to think of my clothes as being a sort of protection, an armour.

Q: How have you seen Shanghai's attitude to fashion change in the last 10 years?

There have been tremendous changes. Shanghai Fashion Week, for example, is now a landmark for the Chinese design industry and excels itself every year. The energy of these young designers is incredible and so inspiring. It means there is energy in our future.

“Clothes have to match the aura around you, your personality, your essence.

衣服要跟你的气质、整个人的状态相衬。”

你设计的服装更像是一种艺术品的存在，他们是为谁而设计的呢?

我做设计的时候确实挺像艺术创作的，比起帮别人去定制，更像是我个人、自我的一种表达。我最开始创立UMA WANG的时候，没多想这是为哪类人设计的。但当这些服装面向大众的时候，就会发现它们在吸引着一群跟我哲学理念相通的人，就像多年未见的老朋友一样。我的设计就像一座桥—把我和志趣相投的人联系起来。

什么时候你开始意识到服装设计将成为你生命中特别重要的一部分?

最开始是我的朋友们发现了我的设计天赋。那时候我才14岁，当时每到过年才有新衣服可以穿，我的朋友们置办新衣的时候总会喊上我，一起帮忙拿主意。大家写毕业纪念册的时候还给我留言，希望未来我能成为著名服装设计师，所以从那时起吧，渐渐开始有了做服装设计想法。

你在东华大学学习的时候，有没有对你影响特别深刻的人?

包铭新老师吧，前段时间还和他见面。包老师教的主要都是时装、面料、历史方面的内容，对我知识面和对设计的认知影响挺深的。我一直觉得自己运气很好，不同时期总有良师益友和贵人相助。

人们常常通过不同的着装来表达自我，当人们穿着UMA WANG的时候，你希望他们感受到什么?

我觉得首先应该是舒适吧，这个是必须。而且衣服要跟你的气质、整个人的状态相衬，衣服应该帮助把更本真的自我展现出来。

你最希望和谁分享你的设计?

我们身边的普通人，特别是女性。我希望我设计的衣服能为她们带给力量和自信。比起为明星设计服装，如果能更多地为我们身边的普通女性赋能，我的工作也会产生更丰富维度的意义。有些客人跟我说，穿上我的衣服感觉像在家一样自在，我想这些衣服就像是柔软的盔甲包裹，守护着她们。

上海乃至全中国，近十年的时尚潮流发生了很大的变化，你是怎么看的呢?

改变太大了，特別是上海时装周，这么多年来，不断地蜕变升级，可以说是成为了中国时尚产业的一个标杆。我也特别欣喜能看到这么多年轻设计师不断涌现，而且他们的作品完成度都很成熟，他们的发展代表着中国时尚界的未来。