kaiyuan xu

full look. Kaiyuan Xu

With ties to Shanghai, Coventry, and Chicago, Kaiyuan Xu is truly a worldly designer. His label, Dandy, is one that embodies uniqueness and celebrates those who refuse to conform by creating deftly crafted sculptural body and garment forms that embolden the wearer. As a designer, Xu finds inspiration through different perspectives — with his latest collection, he takes the view of a biological instinct and explores how they are constructed. Not only does this showcase Xu’s boundary pushing tendencies, but it also shows his knack for staying curious, something that is prevalent in his work.

Schön! chats with Kaiyuan Xu AKA Dandy about his design process, his new collection, and more.

full look. Kaiyuan Xu
opposite
full look. Kaiyuan Xu

You have roots in Shanghai, Coventry, and Chicago. How did these places inspire your designs and collections as a whole?

Originally from Shanghai, a dynamic international city, I have always influenced by the modern environment, including its architectures and fashion brands. This led me to choose fashion design as my major. While pursing my undergraduate degree in Coventry, I focused on ready-to-wear for women’s clothing. Throughout the design process, I frequently embarked on research journeys to museums, drawing inspiration from various artworks. After graduating, I moved to Chicago, a vibrant city renowned for its artistic atmosphere. Pursuing my master’s degree at SAIC, I had the opportunity to learn from talented artists who enriched my visual acuity, empowered me, and instilled confidence in bringing my unique artistic perspective into my design work.

Your body garment forms were showcased in the final exhibit in the SAIC gallery — what was it like seeing your work on display like that?

I’m so excited to see my work that I’ve been working on for a year now get its own stage. I am very grateful to the SAIC for giving me this opportunity. I was the curator of my space during the exhibition in SAIC Gallery and I’ve been interviewed by lots of visitors. I’m excited to receive different feedback — even surprised that the ceramic faulty and performance art students loved my work. It was an unforgettable experience.

How did your experience studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago shape your latest collection?

I learned a lot from my tutor Nick Cave who is a famous fiber artist. We work together step-by-step. It really took a long time to produce my final collection. My school have critic of works every week and the critique culture in our school helped me get comments from various department seminars and artist’s perspectives. It was a wonderful experience because we all learned a lot together and respect each other’s work in the artistic atmosphere. To push the boundary and interdisciplinary, I applied the concept of sculpture to garment designs, engineering these curved patterns beyond the body cylinder.

full look. Kaiyuan Xu
opposite
full look. Kaiyuan Xu

What is the ethos behind Kaiyuan Xu AKA Dandy?

The modern dandy embraces a style that is a celebration of personal style and self-expression. It also is a commitment to refined aesthetics drawing inspiration from various artistic and movements in the contemporary fashion landscape. The core of the dandy aesthetic is going about it naturally. Ultimately, the ethos is: “The dress looks like a crawling vine. It blooms into a wearable vase.” The style characterized by a mix of refined elegance, sartorial flair, and attention to detail in clothing and visually appealing.

Are there specific artists or craftsmen that have influenced your work?

A Japanese artist named Mariko Mori. I always inspired by her Mobius form sculpture. I also remember a quote from her: “I question myself to identify what is most relevant across different times and places. I try to find the core ideas that correspond to the past and the future.” This inspired me to think both historical and contemporary art in my garment design.

Your latest work is inspired by the concept of ‘shiva’ or never ending time. What was it about this concept that inspired you?

The “shiva” from MET Gallery as a symbol of brilliant invention conveys the concept of never-ending cycle of time and represents an endless renewal of universe cosmic energy. That inspired me to create a form combines the conceptual of infinity and interpretation of “moon” shape as ornament to pursuit visually in a uniquely cosmic manner.

You examine the biological ‘instinct’ of insects through your work. How do you integrate these into your designs? What is your primary source of material and media?

Before design any garments, I always using stencil to capture elements from nature. This time, I took photos of spiders and analysed the construction of it which is spiral and symmetry. I transform patterns from my graphic design, deconstructing and reconstructing them after. After, I apply the black and silver vinyl in terms of a media to represent futuristic feeling and visually — the “metaverse” brings it to the audience.

full look. Kaiyuan Xu
opposite
full look. Kaiyuan Xu

What is the most important messaging you want to convey through your garments?

My deigns evoke a sense of beauty and aesthetic pleasure. It pushes boundaries, challenges conventions, and showcases the innovative ideas. They aim to communicate a sense of progress, exploration, and futurism through the designs, inspiring others to think creativity and embrace new possibilities.

As a designer, what are some of the fashion industry’s most difficult and rewarding aspects?

I think one of the challenge is the creative aspect and finding inspiration. Constantly evolving your design aesthetic can be a rewarding but sometimes challenging process. Fashion allows designers to express the unique visions and creativity. Having the opportunity to turn ideas into tangible products and showcase personal artistic expressing can be one of the most difficult aspects of working in the fashion industry.

How do you see the Kaiyuan Xu AKA Dandy label growing and evolving in the future?

As well as making the wearable art, I also considered designed modern collections both in physical and digital version which strongly represent my unique style — “How to be a dandy in the age of mass culture.” I want to stay adaptable and open to changes in the fashion industry by always experimenting with new ideas, product lines, and collaborations to keep my brand fresh and relevant to my target audience.

Lastly, what do you hope those who wear Kaiyuan Xu AKA Dandy’s designs feel or think while wearing your garments?

My attention is to create designs that engage the senses and evoke emotions, capturing the attention and interest of the audience. It could be various gender identities who appreciate the principles and aesthetics associated with modern dandyism.