The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2019 - Issue 26

100% Consumer Designer Profile bite fashion W e’ve had The Walking Dead, World War Z and Dawn of the Dead , and now we have, wait for it… Smartphone Zombies. Shanghai-based menswear and accessories brand STAFFON- LY hit the nail firmly on the head when they revealed we have our “head down with eyes focused, fingers swiping through the screen of a smartphone.” It has certainly become a familiar sight within our generation and personally I’m surprised that more people haven’t walked into a lamp post in their ‘smartphone zombified’ state. The brand established in London in 2015 by lead designers Une Yea and Shimo Zhou, before moving to Shanghai in China, is very forward-thinking. The designers aim to offer a fresh take on traditional menswear by harnessing sharp concepts and incorporating innovative materials - creating both provoca- tive and functional pieces every season. Their AW19 showcase demonstrates the world that we live in today, with many people glued to their smartphones, day in and day out, almost colliding with each other. Both having graduated in London, Une Yea received an MA degree in Accessory Design from the Royal College of Art and showed her graduation collection at the finale of the graduation show. It is thanks to her creativity that STAFFONLY emanates sharp ideas and avant-garde appearances. Shimo Zhou grad- uated from the London College of Fashion and received a BA degree in Womenswear and went on to obtain an MA distinc- tion degree in Accessory Design from the Royal College of Art. The concept of the brand is to illustrate unlimited imaginations that go beyond the word itself. They focus on the logic hidden from the appearance and the sense of communal recognition from groups and communities. This provides the development of fresh concept and identity which is the essential first step in the symbiotic design process. It then leads to a series of curated materials and colour choices for an ironic and provocative take on fashion that is enhanced by functional and sculpted silhou- ettes. In the designers’ eyes, the STAFFONLY man should always have an abundance of curiosity and a sense of humour. He is also willing to break the boundaries and explore the unknown era of the world. Following the launch of their first collection, the duo was invited to several fashion projects and competi- tions such as Pitti Uomo, The International Wool Mark Prize, and Mini Fashion. They have also contributed to art projects including installation designs in the China-Switzerland ‘Lace to Meet You’ exhibition and curation design in ‘The Science Fetish Museum’ at the J: Gallery in Shanghai. It is no-brainer that smartphones have transformed into our wallets over time and on a very quick scale, allowing online shopping and e-payments to be so convenient that it’s now Taking the concept of how smartphones have taken over our lives both consumer and attention-wise, Jada Brookes looks at STAFFONLY’s AW19 collection ‘100% Consumer’. STAFFONLY

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