INSIDE THE FASHION INDUSTRY | Rong Xiao
Rong Xiao is a two time participant of NYFW who had her work displayed at MoMa Ps1, and featured in Vogue. It is also often borrowed by a lot of domestic and foreign magazines and celebrities.
How did you get involved?
When I was 15 or 16 years old, my parents wanted me to go to a famous school, but I wasn’t doing that well in my classes. I hoped to get into a good university, and my parents were in the fashion industry, so I thought maybe I can do that too. Through my parents, I went to art class where I learned how to sketch and gouache. Maybe it’s because I never studied art as a child that I had a sense of freshness when it came to materials, techniques, and forms of painting. From the beginning, the teacher liked me a lot. Through the teacher’s encouragement and affirmation, I chose to follow this path.
What impressed you most in your studies?
That would be when I first came to Parsons. I wasn’t used to being in New York, and everything here was far from how I imagined it to me, especially in the education system. It was harder than I expected. After working on my first project from 9am to 10pm, my hands were stiff and bruised.
What differences did you notice between the education system in US versus China?
In China, there is a lot of theoretical studies and history. The classes are also slower. There are some demonstrations done by the teacher, and when we work on our own projects, we make sure that everything is as we want it before putting it on the real fabric or paper. But in the US, they advocate hands-on experiments. We do so by buying second-hand clothes, or white leather so we can directly use the medium to shape what we want. There’s also unlimited paper. It is quite wasteful.
Have you tried to integrate environmental protection concepts into your design process to limit waste?
When I was an undergraduate, I would consider environmental protection. I used recyclable plastics or other renewable resources to make clothes. However, in the US, our MFA education philosophy was to practice more to discover our identity.
Do you think parents have an influence on your design philosophy or artistic ideas, did they recommend art works or designs to you?
They gave me some influence on the aesthetic, especially when I first entered the business because I didn’t understand anything at the time. However, they don’t do it now.
Do you have a designer that you particularly like? What is his/her inspiration for you?
Kawakubo is a designer I liked. I think I really use her work to guide and enlighten me. Because she doesn’t know how to make clothes, she only gives her assistants and designers several keywords each season, a very abstract concept for them to achieve. To me, that is original. Inspiration comes from a feeling in oneself, so she helped me a lot before I started making my own clothes.
Where does your design inspiration come from? How long does the design process take?
I like to study by myself on what I am most interested in at the time. While studying, I select keywords that could represent how I feel that that time. Sometimes I go see movies, read books, or go on trips in response to these moods or state I am in before proceeding to imagine and realize these concepts. Then I think of some verb keywords, so that this action can help shape the clothes.
There are often a lot of exaggerated designs in fashion shows that we don't understand. As a designer, what do you see that is different from us?
The designs on the show floor is an extreme expression of inspiration and concept so that the designers can attract attention. Although the fashion industry has many deep-set concepts, they are relatively superficial. For those of us who are new to fashion, the important thing fashion shows are trying to do is get exposure and establish a connection with other people in the fashion industry such as stylists, models, and photographers.
How do you feel about the industry? How do you feel about yourself as a designer?
This is a difficult industry, and it is not easy to stick to it. Designing is not something that any one can do. There is a lot to is such as contacting producers to look for sponsors. It also requires a lot of communication skills. The design process for a season takes at least eight months, so it is difficult to keep up with the international rhythm.
Which cities do you think are more conducive to the development of designers?
I think there are certain cities abroad that are more suitable for development. In New York, there is already a commercial foundation. It helps to gather talented people from all walks of life around the world, and you are able to explore more freely here. In contrast, the possibility for diversification in a place like Europe is relatively small. But in places like Shanghai and Zhejiang, there are a lot of garment factories, so it allows for advantages in production costs.
As a designer, how do you view the mainstream idea of beauty?
I don’t think there should be a definition for beauty. Instead, designers should focus more on how to help different bodies and genders discover their own beauty. I’ve done some designs using elastic fabric for clothing that is suitable to be worn by men and women of any size. Some designers during Fashion Week bring in amateurs such as the elderly, so that is a good sign. That is what I would like to see more of. I imagine that for my own fashion show, I want to have men and women, fat and skinny, tall and short.
If you didn’t become a fashion designer, what would you do instead?
I want to be a traveler or a photographer who travels the world, although that is unrealistic. More realistically, I would want to open my own coffee shop or bar because that gives me more control over how I spent my time.
Lastly, what do you think helped you get to this point in your career?
I think that one must be open to accept other people’s suggestions, especially the guidance of your teacher. For example, if your teacher asks for 80 points, you must do twice that amount. But also be humble, because there are always people who are better than you. And if photographers or magazines ask to borrow clothes from you, be polite. This is a rare opportunity, so you must have a sincere attitude.
你是怎么入行的呢？
说到入行，那有必要先说我是怎么开始到接触艺术的。我十五六岁时，文化课成绩不是很理想，但是我父母有一个名校的梦，希望我能去比较好的高校，加上他们从事的也是时尚行业相关的工作，就建议我说可以接触一下画画。接着通过父母工作上的朋友关系，我接触到了艺考班，学习素描，速写，水粉。可能就是因为我从小没有学，所以对这些材料，技术，绘画形式还是有一定的新鲜感。所以刚开始老师就非常喜欢我，我也收获了一些鼓励和成果，逐渐到老师肯定我，说我是能够走这条路的。
从本科开始一直到在parsons读研究生的整个学习经历中，最令你印象深刻的是什么？
应该是我刚来Parsons的那段时间。刚到纽约不太适应，与自己的想象中有一点落差，尤其是教育体制上。我们的第一个project就是为期一周的立裁课，早上9点站到晚上10点，不停地剪裁，那一周整双手都僵掉，也出现了淤青。当时感觉是给了自己了一个下马威，想说赴美留学没有那么简单。
你觉得国内外这个专业领域的教育方式有哪些差异？
国内可能理论多一些，历史多一些，上课速度相对较慢，在老师演示的基础上加一些自己的想法，等图画好并且一切非常确定之后，才会用真实的面料或板纸去打版和立裁。但在美国他们提倡动手实验，比如说你可以去买二手的衣服，或是白皮布，直接做出你要的形状，然后纸也是无限量，没有人想去节约，还是挺浪费的。
提到浪费的话，你有没有在自己设计的过程中尝试过融合环保理念？
本科时，我会去考虑环保，用一些包括塑料，再生资源去做衣服，也会考虑设计师的责任感，如何把民族化，小众的东西变得很现代化，当代化。但是在美国这边，我们MFA的教育理念是极致地实践发现自己的identity。所以这也是它的弱势，因为美国是非常商业化的。
你觉得父母对你的设计理念，或艺术想法是否产生影响，会不会推荐艺术作品或设计给你？
多少会在审美上给我一点影响，尤其在我刚入行的时候，因为那时候我还什么都不懂，现在比较少。
回顾这些年，你有没有自己特别喜欢的设计师呢？他/她对你的启发在什么方面？
川久保玲是我以前现在都很喜欢的设计师。我觉得她对我在概念方面的启示和引导作用是比较大的。因为她本人是不太懂衣服的制版和制作的，她每一季只是给她的助手和设计师们几个关键词，一个非常抽象的概念让他们去实现。对我来讲这可能是原创性的一个根本，灵感不是来自别人的衣服或画，是一种自己的感觉。所以她在我动手做衣服之前就给了我很多的帮助。
作为一名设计师，你的设计灵感一般源自哪里？设计过程需要多久？
我的习惯是研究自己的状态，和当时最感兴趣的东西。在研究自身的同时，选出一些当时能代表我的一些关键词，对应这些心情和状态去看电影，书，平面的资料，再着手去把这些概念图像化，实物化。然后动手在面料上找一些感觉，再结合关键词里的一些动词，使这种动作影响这些衣服的造型，归根到底都是那个动词。
在Fashion Show上经常会有很多夸张的设计，我们不太能理解。但是你作为设计师，你们从中看到的是什么，会不会与我们不一样？
秀场上的设计是灵感与概念极端的展现，这样他们才能吸引眼球，同时品牌也可以出借给杂志作为一种营销方式。虽然时尚行业有很多深层次的概念，但是在曝光的那一刻还是相对表面的。而对于我们初出茅庐的人来讲，Fashion Show很重要的一点就是曝光，并实现我们从学校到社会的转化，与时尚行业中的其他人，比如说：stylist，model，photographer建立一定的联系。
本身时尚行业比较真实的情况是怎么样的呢？你作为一个业内的人事，你是怎么看的？
这是一个比较艰辛的行业，坚持下来并不容易。而且设计不是一个人所能完成的，联系制作到寻求sponsor，你必须具备相应的沟通能力。时装周一年有4季，刚起步的设计师想跟上时装周需要出2季，一季的设计过程最少需要8个月，所以如果想跟上国际的节奏是很难的。
你觉得哪些城市，比如纽约，上海等，现在更有利于设计师的发展呢？
我觉得国内国外都有比较适合发展的城市。比如纽约，它有一定的商业化的基础，它聚集了来自全世界各行各业有才华的人，在这里能够更自由地去施展。相比之下，欧洲多元化可能性会比较小。国内的话，制作成本上会存在很大的优势，像上海、浙江一带有很多的制衣厂，海归设计师也很愿意在那里发展，从而构建起了一个很丰满的平台。
作为一名设计师，你如何看待现在‘以瘦为美’的主流审美？是只有model的身形才是美的吗？
我觉得设计师不应该去给美下一个定义，而是多考虑身材，性别的多元化，帮助不同的人发现他们的美。我的毕设就有做一些相关的设计，利用有弹性的面料制作适合任何身材男女的一件衣服。现在时装周上也有好的迹象，有一些设计师愿意把素人，包括老年人带上时装周。这种也是我比较希望看到的，我想象中自己的时装发布会应该是有男有女，有高有矮，有胖有瘦。
一个非常多元化的设计展了。如果不做时装设计师，你有没有想过会做什么？为什么呢？
如果说的不现实一点，我想做一名去全世界游玩的旅行家，或摄影师。如果说的更现实一点的话，我想做一位咖啡厅或酒吧老板，因为我觉得这样可以让自己更灵活地运用时间。
最后一个问题是，你现在所做到的这些成就，能够上这么多次时装周，并且得到国内外媒体的认可，你觉得是什么帮助你走到这一步的？
我觉得，一是要虚心接受别人的建议，尤其是要听老师的指导，而且比如老师要求你做到80分，你需要做他的两倍的量那么多。一定要谦虚，因为永远有比你厉害的人，当摄影师或杂志向你来借衣服的时候，要谦虚，还要有礼貌，这是一个难得的机会，多多少少要有一个诚恳的态度。