The earliest appearance of clothing was as simple as a leaf or an animal skin. However, it was a significant advancement when people started weaving garments using plant vines. Can you imagine the awe-inspiring experience when someone attempted to create clothing by molding a large piece of mud? The evolution of fashion has led us to today, where William Shen has introduced the revolutionary concept of 3D fashion transformation from a new design perspective, which marks a remarkable revolution in the fashion industry.
The founder and designer of RAXXY, William Shen, is hailed as a genius in the fashion world, with his deep understanding of mathematics. From a young age, his passion for math was evident, and his independent thinking ability propelled him to tackle advanced concepts and compete in challenging competitions. It was no small feat! Even without formal training, he went on to win a silver medal in China’s Mathematical Olympiad.
One of the biggest regrets in life is making choices that don’t align with our true passions. For William Shen, that regret was majoring in economics during college. But he knew life was meant to be filled with things we love. So, he made a bold decision to pursue his other passion—fashion. He realized that applying the logic of fashion to mathematics seemed less rigorous, so he decided to use the logical thinking of mathematics to delve into the world of fashion.
Since childhood, his dream was to become a math teacher. Consequently, he always tried to decipher the logic behind teachers’ questions, finding it intriguing. Now, watching fashion shows and keeping up with fashion news has become a vital channel for his self-study in fashion design, which presents a significant mental challenge that he enthusiastically embraces.
In June 2020, RAXXY made its grand debut during the Shanghai Fashion Week. William Shen knew in order to stand out amidst fierce competition, he had to push the boundaries of fashion and innovate. Inspired by his love for traditional Chinese culture, he embarked on a new creative journey. Starting with braids symbolizing Chinese ethnicity, he invented a new technique for fashion weaving. By cutting down jackets with scissors and combining them with the traditional Chinese art of paper cutting, he created a remarkable new graphic technique—color sculpture.
In 2021, he unveiled the brand’s second collection, “The Great Wall,” at the Great Wall of China. RAXXY thus became the first Chinese brand to showcase its designs on the runway at the Great Wall. Taking inspiration from traditional Chinese culture and the art of bamboo weaving, William invented the 5D down jacket technique. This innovative approach reimagines down jackets as a completely new construction, incorporating elements of weaving while primarily focusing on a 3D transformation concept.
From this 5D technique, William Shen discovered an entirely new world of fashion. While modern fashion is built on a two-dimensional flat fabric cut and stitched together, RAXXY takes a three-dimensional approach, resulting in a unique block-like fashion system. This pioneering concept has been patented internationally. These 3D block-like structure down jackets have distinct differences compared to traditional down jackets. In William’s analogy, it’s like the difference between inflating a balloon and shaping various figures with an inflated balloon.
Within just three years of its inception, the brand has combined the uniqueness of this technique with geometric artistic silhouettes and sequential fashion. Geometric architectural concepts and mathematical regularity have been seamlessly integrated into RAXXY’s designs. The introduction of this new structural fashion has attracted collaborations with luxury European brands, catapulting RAXXY onto the prestigious Milan Fashion Week calendar.
William acknowledges that the current application of this technique is still in its early stages, focusing on basic elements of point, line, and surface. It completely breaks away from traditional fashion techniques like printing, embroidery, and jacquard weaving. This innovative approach does not rely on computer-assisted 3D design but instead utilizes the most basic materials of down jackets. Moving forward, the brand has plans to unveil more artistic haute couture collections, truly embodying the essence of RAXXY fashion artistry. Within the realm of 3D design, we can envision an endless expanse of creative possibilities.
From a humble one-dimensional line, we have witnessed the birth of knitted fashion. From a two-dimensional plane, we embraced modern fashion. And now, with RAXXY, we embark on a journey from a three-dimensional space—the dawn of a new era in fashion.
William Shen’s discovery is not just a fashion style; it’s a whole new way of expressing fashion. It embodies the diverse styles that fashion can be interpreted. It seamlessly blends wearability with artistic value, allowing for diverse fashion styles. Let us eagerly anticipate the fashion revolution brought forth by RAXXY, as it expands the boundaries of fashion into a vast new realm, creating a new trend globally and bringing forth a fresh sense of PASSION and POWER to the fashion industry.
Next, the Raxxy brand will showcase its 23AW collection at the Who’s Next exhibition in Paris this September and unveil the new 24AW collection at Milan Fashion Week in February next year.
