The Wild, Wild Garden, the Spring Summer 2025 collection by PRONOUNCE, is inspired by Grace Chang‘s legendary performance in the 1960 film “The Wild, Wild Rose.” Grace Chang, a well-known actress and singer from Hong Kong in the 1950s, was also known by her Chinese name, Ko Lan. This collection reimagines her persona in a contemporary, gender-fluid context, where the soul of her character travels to the present day, challenging conventional notions of love and relationships. The collection explores the antagonistic and romantic dynamics between Grace’s character and her lover, symbolizing the eternal conflict and passion inherent in love.
The collection’s narrative creates a story of a soul that once scorned love, now embodying a new, ambiguous gender. This soul initially regards love with scepticism and contempt since it has a conqueror mindset. But after a journey of self-discovery, it learns that the spirit of self-sacrifice is where true wildness may be found. The core of “The Wild, Wild Garden” is this duality: brutality on the outside, deep emotion inside. This idea is reflected in the collection’s design language, which includes elements that depict both the beauty and destructiveness of love.
The chaotic and fragmented nature of love is symbolised by the handcrafted textile patchwork with a sensation of rupture, the deliberate exposing of skin, and the three-dimensional winding ropes. Modern Chinese tunic suits fashioned from interwoven jersey material, along with long, proportionate skirts reminiscent of fringe and workwear, reimagine classic Chinese attire. These pieces illustrate the complex, evolving nature of love relationships in 2024.
A standout feature of the collection is the revival of hand-woven insect craftsmanship from the 1980s and 1990s in China. This traditional Chinese folk handicraft, utilizing wild resources like cattail grass, corn husks, wheat straw, and tree sticks, is recreated by skilled artisans. The weaving of small insects and plants, requiring up to 500 hours of work, reveals the dedication and artistry involved in preserving these techniques.
MILANO FASHION WEEK
Upcycling and sustainability are central to PRONOUNCE, and this collection highlights clever weaving techniques that transform scrap fabric into beautiful, functional pieces. The use of vine elements made from recycled materials is prominent throughout the collection, creating a visual metaphor for the theme of “Wild Garden.” These handmade fabric linear vines, with their abstract language, add a layer of organic, natural beauty to the garments. Hidden within the collection are hand-woven representations of grapes, butterflies, grasshoppers, dragonflies, cicadas, and small crabs, adding a whimsical touch to the designs.
The emphasis on bare skin throughout the collection serves as a metaphor for how relationships are inherently uncertain and dynamic. By not expecting straightforward outcomes from these partnerships, the emphasis is instead placed on the process and experience of love itself. The designs of the collection are reflected in this philosophical approach to fashion, which honours the creative process and the beauty inherent in imperfection and transience. See all the looks from the collection in the Gallery below:
