The Shanghai-based fashion label Pronounce, founded by Yushan Li and Jun Zhou, centered its fall 2023 collection around Chinese oracle bone scripts and knots, two of the most ancient ways of storing information in human history.
Mao suits and coats were made as if they were shredded and patched together, resembling the bones dug up from the ground, while tops, trousers, and outerwear came with giant ancient Chinese characters found on these artifacts.
Motifs of giant knots danced around the sweaters in red, white and brown, and actual knotting was involved in the making of oversize decorative patterns around the pockets and necklines.
The duo said the collection represents their reflection on the information overload of the digital age, and how looking back might just be the way forward.
Their instinct was not wrong. The collection was well executed and offered a fresh take on Chinese culture that’s not cliché. For those who are looking for Chinese identity in the collection, it’s all there, and for those who are just looking for great clothes, the brand has a lot to offer as well.