FW 19

Designer P. J is captivated by the persistence, depth, and melancholy found in the works of master Mark Rothko. He consistently conveyed pure human emotions through his Color-Field Paintings—sorrow, silence, anger, hope… Her fascination with his later work, "The Rothko Chapel," directly inspired her latest series. Within the intimate chapel, the narrow skylight gently shielded the natural light; fourteen immense works, all in colors ranging from black to deep purple, were on display. These color blocks appeared to float freely within the canvases, unveiling a mysterious, profound, and imposing luminance that compelled the audience to confront the incomparable depths of "black" and traverse a poignant experience where refuge was scarce. Rothko and his art encapsulate the religion of color and the sanctuary of art.

Rothko's paintings depict the human condition and its inevitable tragedies. He once remarked, "Painting has to be an enlightenment… It employs an unexpected and unprecedented method to respond to an eternal and familiar demand." Designer P. J felt a summoning of inspiration. Amidst her intricate growth as an individual, especially as a woman, and her solitary journey as an independent creator, she inevitably confronts life's comparable tragedies. Even the highest moments of euphoria transmute into melancholy. The dissolving and harmonizing of this boundary relate to her prolonged contemplation of traditional Eastern culture and philosophy.

Transposing these fundamental human emotions into her design works, she managed to arrive at a certain degree of reconciliation with melancholy while concurrently retaining the elements of rebellion and contemplation. Thus, the fashion garments aspire to provide a spiritually enriching experience surpassing the material, and therefore, more enthralling. This season's design prominently incorporates black, mirroring Rothko's works, in an endeavor to convey the complexity, depth, and allure of "black". Amidst expansive swathes of dark hues, sporadic whites, blues, and grays softly hover, resulting in a fusion of elements and contrasts. Much like Rothko's paintings, the designer underscores substantial form and the ceremonial silhouette of the garments, thereby constructing a realm for imagination and interpretation.

Within Rothko's artistic realm, the spiritual symbolism outweighs mere visual impact. Rothko himself wasn't religious, yet his art imparts a transcendent religious encounter to the audience. As an idealistic inheritor of Rothko's essence, P. J holds her own unadulterated dream. In a sense, fashion designers are erecting chapels or sanctuaries for human bodies, allowing individuals to dwell within them comfortably, safeguarding their fragility while evoking romantic imagination.