Know more about FromClothingOf here : @fromclothingof_official
Photos : Nick D for @precursorprints
SPITGAN : Let’s start with your SS20 collection. Tell us about it? You showed a fairly large collection. What inspired it?
SHIRLEY WONG : "Perfectly Imperfect". The SS20 collection is about loser. Just like the movie "Drunk Folks", the actor has not succeeded in the movie. It is not a famous story, but it is dedicated to those who do not have a dream.
I believe living life with regret is the essence of life, so this collection hopes to present a kind of regrettable beauty. The collection uses the thin suitings and cotton fabrics popular in the past, combined with mesh and silk cork. Cochin yarns of different shades overlap each other to create a faint, light level of beauty. This season's clothes were contoured with half a piece of clothing and irregular cuts to create a sense of hierarchy and an unfinished regret.
There is a paragraph in the movie: "If a song is never a new song, it will never get old, then it is a folk song." This is also the brand's insistence, clothes are not only popular or novel this season, but they hope to be able to live forever. Stand the test of time.
SPITGAN : 不如先講講你最新的SS20系列吧。
SW : "Perfectly Imperfect”。SS20系列是歌頌失敗者，就如電影《醉鄉民謠》男主角到電影最後都沒有成功。它不是某個功成名就的故事，而是獻給那些沒有圓夢的人。
但是我認為帶著遺憾的人生才是生活的真諦，所以這個系列希望可以呈現一種遺憾美，系列會源用以往慣用的薄身西裝布或者全棉布，與網布，真絲柯根紗互相拼合，不同色調的柯根紗互相重疊，營造一種淡淡的，輕盈的層次美。而今季衣服輪廓會用半件衣服和不規則裁剪去呈現層次感和一種未完成的遺憾美。
電影裡面有段說話：「如果一首歌從不是新歌，也從不會變老，那它就是民謠。」這亦是品牌的堅持，衣服不是當季流行或新奇，但卻希望可以做到永不過時的味道。
<< 中文譯本在英文之後 >>
SP : Why didn’t you use any Asian models in your collection?
SW : This show's models were arrange by the host, Fashionally. Hong Kong usually likes to use foreign models, but now you can see there are one or two Asia models too. When I participated at Shenzhen Fashion Week the majority of girls were Asia models.
SP : What is the meaning of Fromclothingof? What made you start your own brand?
SW : The name of “FromClothingOf” is inspired by the word "Ex Libris" printed on books. Meaning 'from the library of', followed by the person's name, so that the person who buys the book feels that he is the owner of the book. Therefore, the brand is named FromClothingOf, which is like the concept of collecting books. I hope that every wearer can declare his or her own right and find his own clothes. To say, "Don’t let fashion own you", but you can own your clothing. This is a brand that expresses the relationship between people and clothes.
SP : I remember your designs were quite simple at first, why the change?
SW : In fact, the style has not changed much, but each season I always want to add some changes to the design details or fabrics, hoping to enhance the overall sense. So to say so the design has changed from simple to modern design, I think it is exploring my design creativity through time, and then gradually make the brand style and design more prominent each season.
SP : I have known about your brand, ‘FromClothingOf’ very early on, but it is very difficult to find information about you, even a stocklist. Do you have a plan to grow your brand?
SW :I have always updated every season series (collection), but I deleted some photos on IG. Most of the pictures before FW19 are gone, because I will repackage the brand image.
SP : What is the goal for your brand?
SW : I hope that I can become a viable fashion brand that represents Hong Kong. I hope to my brand will contribute to the accent of Hong Kong fashion along with other designer brands.
SP : Nowadays social media moves at such speed. How can you bring more attention to yourself?
SW : I am currently actively participating in different Fashion Weeks or fashion events. Apart from publishing on my own web pages and online platforms, I hope to help my publicity and exposure with coverage on other media platforms.
SP : Who do you think will buy your collection? Can you describe this woman? Her characteristics? Interests, age, and career?
SW : This woman is independent and loves life. She is intellectual and understands how fashion can work for her. She has a strong personal style, and never follows blindly, believing that a woman's beauty is a woman who is led and defined by herself.
SP : Do you design for Asian women?
SW : Yes.
SP : Do you still remember the first buyer who bought your collection/pieces? How did it feel?
SW : There was a feeling of being affirmed and needed. This need made me insist on every season.
SP : Who is your muse?
SW : I currently don't have one, but I want to say the source of inspiration for each season comes from books and movies, because both of them are indispensable sources of inspiration, and indispensable parts of my life.
SP : What can we look forward to from you in the future?
SW : I am optimistic about the future for now, because I personally feel that there will be more people looking for personalized designs. They will want to be different and pursue 'TIMELESS', so personalization will be more popular than popular.
<< 中文譯本在下面 >>
SP : 為什麼你的系列並沒有用上任何亞洲模特兒？
SW : 系列的走秀模特兒都是主辦單位安排，香港這邊通常都喜歡用外國模特兒，但都會加一至兩位亞洲模特兒而上一季在深圳FASHION WEEK，相反大部份都是亞洲模特兒。
SP: 為什麼叫From Clothing of？當然為什麼會建立自已品牌？
SW : FromClothingOf名字靈感取自於藏書票上所印有"Ex Libris"此字, 英文即是from library of, 代表「這是我的書」之意，令買書的人覺得自己是書的擁有者。因此品牌命名為FromClothingOf,有如藏書票的理念般,希望讓每一位穿著者都能宣示自己的擁有權,找到屬於自己的衣服。以帶出Don’t let fashion own you, but you can own your clothing之意。這是一個表達人與衣服之間關係的品牌。
SP: 我記得以前的From Clothing of設計比較簡單，為什麼有了轉變？
SW : 其實一直的風格都沒太大的改變，只是每一季都會希望在設計細節或布料上加入一些變化，希望加強整體設計感，所以如其說設計從簡單到現在的設計，我覺得只是因為初其是在做自己品牌風格的定位，之後再於每一季慢慢令品牌風格和設計更突出。
SP : 我記憶中你們已經做了好一段時間，但好像有段時間看不到你們的更新，是不是因為正準備些什麼？
SW : 我一直都有更新每一季系列呀，但我IG早前刪除了FW19之前的大部份圖片，因為我希望可以重新包裝品牌形象。
SP : 你的終極目標是什麼？
SW : 希望可以成為一個能夠代表香港的時裝品牌，可以和其他設計師品牌共同令香港時裝走得更前。
SP: 現在social media主導的社會行得好快，你會如果保持自已的曝光率？
SW : 我現時都會積極參與不同的FASHION WEEK或時裝活動，所以除了在自己網頁和網絡平台發表外，都希望藉著透過其他活動機構或媒體於他們的網絡平台去幫助宣傳，令自己品牌有更多曝光率。
SP : 你覺得誰會買你的作品？
SW : 性格獨立而熱愛生活, 知性而響往心靈自由的，了解流行時尚但從不盲從，追求強烈的個人風格，相信女性的美是由自己去主導和定義的女性。
SP : 你的設計大多針對亞洲女性嗎？
SW : 是的
SP : 你還記得第一個買你系列/作品的人嗎？當時有什麼感覺？
SW : 記得，覺得有種被人肯定和需要的感覺，這份需要令我堅持著每一季。
SP : 有無一個人或一樣東西是你的啟蒙？
SW : 暫時沒有，但如果要說每季的靈感來源，我大部份都是來自書和電影，因為這兩樣都是我設計中不可或缺的靈感來源和生活的一部份。
SP : 你對將來的想法是？
SW : 我覺得對將來暫時都是保持樂觀的心態，因為我個人覺得將來會有更多人希望尋找一些個性化的設計，他們會希望與眾不同和追求TIMELESS的東西，所以個性化會比大眾化更被需要。
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