Towards the Maturity of Naturalistic

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In the early days of autumn, in August, P.J. completed the design and plate-making work for A R P brand's Edition 25, the 2024 Spring/Summer collection. As the Nearly White Dew Festival approached, samples poured in, each meticulously displayed in A R P's studio in Beijing. The collection featured clothing crafted from natural materials such as silk, wool, and linen, characterized by a palette of soft, luminous hues: yellow, azure, pearly pink, ochre, with hints of gray and black, forming the primary color scheme for over 50 styles this season.

The designs showcased long, slender dresses with a focus on precise line cuts, featuring a three-dimensional quality achieved through the intricate interweaving of silk and linen, in keeping with A R P brand's commitment to practicality. Impeccable tailoring defined the suits, embellished with embroidery that added intriguing details, while round shapes contributed to an abstract aesthetic. The meticulously detailed prints, capturing the vividness of P.J.'s own photography - "Early Spring Peony," added depth and realism.

P.J., a designer who deeply values substance, initially lacked a sense of lightness in her early work. This absence seemed to mirror her inner consciousness, imbuing her designs with a rare, sincere force that gradually evolved over time. Especially evident in her formal wear collection was a sense of perseverance, strength, and grandeur. However, in recent days, Beijing's scorching summers and her collaboration with a new fabric company have led her to experiment with tulle and silk, exploring the ultimate elegance of lightweight styles. She also ventured into discovering fabrics that best embodied the enchanting spirit of the Orient. The fusion of idealism and practicality, the transformation of southern Chinese silk through modernist techniques, and the soft, ethereal ambiance inspired by Jiangnan's misty rain offered an alternative aesthetic narrative to reality. It delicately intertwined passion with independence and resilience with dreamy romanticism. Even seemingly minor details like ruffled decorations, neck scarves, organ pleats, and handmade glass necklaces were seen as P.J.'s exquisite manifestations of her overarching design ambition.

Design, in essence, must strike a balance between skillful execution and the free coordination of materials. "I handwrite my mind" has always served as a profoundly sincere touchstone in the realm of the arts.

If minimalism embodies precision and comfort represents freedom, then what does self-consistency signify? True maturation is essentially a metamorphosis, a process that entails enduring numerous trials and tribulations. However, one's choice of attire should not define their status; instead, it should reflect the quality of beauty within their wisdom. Clothing not only safeguards our physical bodies but also nurtures our inner selves. Whether it's a reflection of past melancholy or a profound yearning for freedom, by looking within ourselves, we can capture the essence of light.

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Exploration

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Immersed in art for a long time, designer P.J creates clothes as if she is crafting "large" sculptures. The ingenuity of the designer is clearly recognizable when interpreted from the perspective of modeling. The design industry classifies clothing silhouettes into 6 types. As time goes by, ARP's clothing styling is mainly known for A-type and H-shape. The long H-type and the short H-type emphasize straight cuts, expressing a smart manner and outstanding personality; A-Type is mainly poignant, highlighting youth, softness, elegance, and feminine beauty. P.J mentioned that due to a change in fabric partners, the new season's materials are smooth and neat, so she definitely prepared and did her best. When it comes to inspiration nurturing, the natural landscape around Mount Alshan volcano in Inner Mongolia, where volcanic rocks and moss coexist, gave her a lot of imagination.

The black woolen coat is dark and shiny, as delicate as horsehair; The short brown fur coat, fluffy yet smart; The gray pigeon-colored fur coat used a special process, causing the surface texture to spread out like an oil painting, as if no matter if dry or wet, the traces of brushstrokes are still present; In terms of the overall silhouette, the sense of mass imprinted on the retina still maintains a strong, thick, and solid shape, outlining the brand's personality. There are two types of shirts this season, one black hot flower, and one beige, which share a deep sleeve cuff and a ruffled collar with lotus leaf-shaped decoration in common. The connection design is slightly different; the black version is the pullover type, while the beige version has buttons down the front type. The latter has its lower hem naturally extending to form an S-shaped exposure, resembling an elongated leaf hole from the front. China Suit is a contemporary interpretation of the inspiration from the Chinese tunic suit since P.J's brand's inception, which has softened the majestic image of cadre clothing, instead embracing an atmosphere of daily life, suitable for casual wear among urban fashion groups.

"The earth cracked open, and lava poured out from the ground, burning like fire." 65 million years of crustal movements precipitated over time to form a volcanic landscape. A small piece of moss grew up in the craggy ridges and finally achieved an infinite scenery. Moss showcases an asymptotic natural wisdom, as art nourishes the designer, allowing tenderness to be transformed into increasingly sophisticated technology. In the recently popular science fiction movie "The Wandering Earth 2," "MOSS" is set as the digital life that saved human civilization. However, in the mission of continuing its own fashion style genes, breaking the definition and maintaining refinement is the goal that drives the brand ARP to continue advancing.

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Past Collections

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