A Young Designer Grows—Sustainably—In New York
Never before have I buried a fashion show press release in my yard, but thanks to Dauphinette’s Olivia Cheng, I might soon start. The young designer’s fall 2020 collection show notes were printed on 100% biodegradable “seeded paper” that, when planted and watered, will result in a wildflower bloom. “Thank you for gardening!” her notes read at the bottom.
Paper-to-plant technologies are not Cheng’s only sustainable bent. Invites to her show were digital-only and asked guests to bring their own reusable cups, plates, and cutlery to enjoy a feast of fruits, desserts, and mimosas that awaited us inside her Lower East Side show space. For those among us who, maybe, forgot our mug at home, Cheng had also kitted out the space with bamboo serving ware and biodegradable cups.
Being environmentally-minded isn’t some PR-schtick for Cheng. The designer started her business upcycling vintage clothing, adding hand-painted blossoms to the sleeves of a leather coat or feather scraps to the cuffs of a leopard swing coat. She started off selling those cute pieces to friends, but her circle of vintage-loving shoppers has vastly grown. During her presentation, guests jostled to get a look at Cheng’s new vintage furs with hand-beaded crystal scalloping and hand-painted blue prints. “My mom really loves chinoiserie, and she’s always been collecting those things from her parents and grandparents growing up,” Cheng said gesturing to her mother, who was modeling in the presentation in a white coat studded with several decorative black bows. “I thought if I’m going to make clothes, I have to make clothes for my mom,” she said.
Cheng’s clothes seem to have a wide appeal, for moms and otherwise. Young women were fawning over her convertible dresses, made with clips at the hip and thigh so skirts could be hiked up à la Bonnie Cashin’s convertible designs of the ’60s. They also liked Cheng’s micro purses in Matisse colors and shapes. A raincoat with real flowers crushed in between its clear panels and might start a fight over which of Cheng’s friends get to wear it first.
But all these delectable garments would be nothing more than sweet if they weren’t also eco-conscious. That holographic dress is made from 100% recycled polyester. The twill of the Ming-vase-inspired prints is deadstock material that’s been digitally printed. And much of the outerwear is vintage that’s been given the Dauphinette spin. Best in show were the earrings, which were made by dipping real food and flowers into resin, freezing them in time—and suspending them from earlobes. Perhaps that could be the fate of the blooms produced from Cheng’s show notes. It’d certainly be better than where the rest of the season’s paper materials are set to end up.
Photo: Courtesy of Dauphinette1/9
Photo: Courtesy of Dauphinette2/9
