LFWSS25 - A Two-part Exposition of the Work of MITHRIDATE in Fashion Seasons Past and Present
Vita Aeterna - The Golden Age of MITHRIDATE: The Birth of Modest Ecentricity and Mystic Medieval
Written by Hadia Malik
Former assistant to fashion giants Lee Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, Zhang’s mystical collections have previously been inspired by the symbolic elixir of King Mithridates the Great against the perpetual tentative assassination by the Roman elites.
Presenting her previous AW24 collection in the medieval Guildhall crypts during the Spring Fashion Week, the pieces were honoured by the presence of Kelly Rutherford and Andrew Scott amongst many fashion enthusiasts.
A collection straight out of a fantasy novel, Zhang’s creative vision metamorphosed the runway into an intriguing orchestration of grandeur and delicacy, each piece telling a story enticing into the poignant chronicle of destiny, and our own narratives of choices. Throughout the show, models drifted through the basement with soft floral scents and silent walls as a backdrop, creating a mystical mix of juxtaposed bright colours and fascinating textures.
“This time I wanted to express a story of pushing boundaries”, a ubiquitous theme amongst Zhang’s work, the ethereal and fantasist undertone of their garments holding the tenacious character of the fabric. From beginning to end, the collection showed us state-of-the-art genius shining through earthy timbre, characterising the medieval charm with a touch of transcendental and cutting-edge inspiration.
Irrespective of the usual effeminate forms of her collection pieces, Zhang's gender-neutral collection combines feminine forms with masculine touches, appealing to a wide range of tastes. The collection featured a variety of textures and volumes, from leather to tweed, metallics, and corsetry, embellishment, from the boots to the models' hair. Gold accessories complemented the warm jewel tones. The bold, maximalist looks exuded luxury and opulence, reflecting the brand's manifesto of armour-like boldness. Corsetry plays a prominent role with unique details like chains and crystals, adding movement and spectacle to the designs. The runway show brings the clothes to life, showcasing the artisanship and imagination behind each piece.
This immersive experience highlights the true essence of fashion to inspire and spark the imagination through beautifully crafted garments meant to be worn and admired in motion. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine Zhang as a creative director for fantasy series like ‘The Witcher’ or ‘Game of Thrones’.
A Homage to Home: Demon Zhang's honours her Yunnan roots in her masterful SS25 Collection
Written by Holly Anderson
If you were to ask me which collection most moved me this fashion season, it would be hard to argue anything other than the MITHRIDATE SS25 presentation. As I stood amongst a-listers waiting at the door, watching Bridgerton’s Hannah Dodd walk out with a beaming smile across her face, I knew I was in for a treat.
Accompanied by a complimentary drink from Ciroc and a beautifully embroidered bamboo folding fan, my suspicions were confirmed as I entered. Located in Westminister’s bright and spacious Lindley Hall, models were placed elegantly around the exterior of a large, white, curtained circle, as onlookers paced freely amongst them, breathing in Demon Zhang’s continuous homage to the diversity and richness of cultural traditions from across China. In this collection, the focus was on the “Flower Kingdom”, otherwise known as Yunnan.
Yunnan, Zhang’s home province, acquired such a decadent title due to its abundant floral variety, home to over 1,200 flower species, including 100 species of tea flower and 700 species of edible flower, consequently dominating China’s fresh-cut flower exports. In an ode to such a feat, Zhang frequently employed the use of assorted pompoms, re-conceptualising the classic floral motif as seen in spring-summer collections past. The bright, effervescent colour palette, markedly points towards another important ancestral detail, her birthplace Kunming, the “City of Eternal Spring”, and is featured throughout the collection. The utilisation of pompoms continues to serve this cultural thread as they are frequently seen adorning the traditional attire of several Yunnan ethnic groups, particularly, the clothing of both Jingpo and De’Ang women. Navy, embroidered jackets, embellished with ornate silver bells continue to supply the collection with a rich, cultural edge, further emulating Yunnan traditional dress, notably that of the Hani people. This collection saw Zhang juxtapose such cultural motifs, not only against each other but with playful, contemporary details too, such as a white Balanchine tutu-style skirt and wedge, wooden platform shoes.
Further allusions to Yunnan culture were endlessly pursued, particularly in Zhang’s accomplished effort to emulate the traditional craftsmanship of the Bai people’s indigo tie-dying technique. Reinvigorating a classic, loose-fit suit with her brand-defining vibrancy, Zhang displayed the tie-dying method alongside stylised, decorative clouds, ‘Xiangyun’, also known as Auspicious Clouds, a renowned reference to Chinese traditional art. The suit trousers, as well as the buckle on the suit jacket, drew onlookers back to the ornate silver embellishments.
Perhaps the most striking feature within Zhang’s SS25 collection, both aurally and visually, was the boldly spray-painted silver plates - yet another exhibition of traditional Yunnan silverware embellishments. In an abundantly layered configuration, the pieces that presented this conceptualisation of Yunnan silverware turned heads immediately, long before they could be seen, as they lightly rattled around the room. In this design, this feature is displayed as an electric blue, v-neck maxi dress with a black underskirt and is certainly one of my favourites from the collection. It could also be seen in a shorter, lime-green halter-neck dress with copper accents. To me, this concept perfectly illustrated Zhang’s design ideology that “more is more” and I think it is an incredibly revitalizing philosophy as so many designers, stylists and major brands alike edge further into a minimalist massacre of creative, playful fashion.
As if she hadn’t already given us enough to awe over in this collection, Zhang delicately contrasted her daring exposition of intense colour with a handful of pieces in a gentler colour scheme. Amongst shades of chalk and incredibly light khaki sat a stunningly modernised two-piece qipao, with blush pink mesh window panels in both the front and back of the top and skirt, ingeniously ornamented with tule flowers and perhaps my favourite motif of the whole collection, the dragon-eye goldfish. With high-leg slits on either side and a single-sided pipa front opening on the top, the design also featured structured shoulders and horn-like details on the skirt.
The dragon-eye goldfish motif could also be seen in the collection’s accessory range, such as the woven wooden mini-bags which appeared to be a fan favourite this fashion season.
It goes without saying; Demon Zhang has once again shown London Fashion Week exactly how it’s done. Tastefully reimagining traditional clothing with her flair for the fun and the bold, the latest MITHRIDATE pieces are sure to be seen on everyone who is anyone soon. It is inspiring to see such an intricate and detailed exposition of the diversity of Chinese culture and the Yunnan province whilst remaining unequivocally and authentically the work of Demon Zhang. I am only evermore looking forward to what lies ahead.
Co-written by Hadia Malik and Holly Anderson
Edited by Holly Anderson
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