While it may not yet be plastered above a bricks-and-mortar store on Bond Street or Sloane Street, one can’t help but feel that it won’t be long before fashion designer Susan Fang sees her name in lights. Having launched her eponymous label in 2017, following her graduation from London’s Central Saint Martins school of art and design, Fang’s frothy, hyper-feminine designs have put her on quite the ascendancy.

Collaborating with everyone from Nike, Ugg, Croc, Charlotte Tilbury, Piaget, Instax, Oppo and Swarovski to Zara, Victoria’s Secret and & Other Stories, as well as selling her own colour-saturated, ethereal works of wearable art everywhere from Selfridges and Farfetch to MyTheresa and Net-A-Porter, Fang is inspired by concepts “relating to the perception of beauty” and “the instinctive allure of nature”.

Fang takes a bow after her AW25 runway show

Having been consistently recognised by industry professionals (Fang was selected for Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019 and 2020, and was also shortlisted for the LVMH Prize), when we speak she is fresh from showcasing her AW25 collection at Milan Fashion Week, having won the support of industry powerhouse Dolce&Gabbana to make the transfer from London Fashion Week possible.

With a focus on “perception and mathematics”, the collection combines “innovative textiles, colours, and silhouettes to create garments and accessories with artistic originality,” she explains, as we speak over FaceTime following her debut Milan show. Having been selected for the ‘Supported by Dolce&Gabbana’ creative mentoring initiative, developed in collaboration with fashion visionary Katie Grand, Fang’s AW25 collection – Air•Memory – comes with the endorsement of the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association and the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana.

Marrying Chinese tradition with Italian craftsmanship, Fang is still feeling the buzz a few days later, enthusing about the incredible opportunity both for herself and her mother, Ai Lan, whose sensational artworks have been printed onto many of Fang’s wearable canvases. An exploration of the “pursuit of happiness”, Air•Memory is a warming, heartfelt, poetic tribute to Ai Lan, whose steadfast support Fang credits as being instrumental to her success, enabling her to realise her childhood dream of becoming a fashion designer. “Not only have I accomplished one of my own dreams but I have fulfilled one of my mother’s: to have her first art exhibition,” she says, beaming. “It is my deepest wish that we can take one step closer to making that dream a reality.”

As part of the collection, Fang has reimagined her mother’s paintings into sequins and embroidered her design with flowers, birds, and ballpoint pen-style sketches. “It is the combination of fantasy and fragility,” she tells me. An abstract combination of 3D-printed petals and optical membranes create a cornucopia of colour and texture, while standout pieces include a long jacket on which Ai Lan has painted a landscape of her hometown directly onto the fabric.

Fang also showcased three soon-to-be-worn wedding dresses, made by her mother, ahead of her own nuptials next month. I ask if she felt apprehensive allowing someone to wear her wedding dresses before her, but she shakes her head, laughing, “It connected me to the memory and the theme. Each piece took my mother a whole month to make.”

Having only finished attaching the last of some 600 ‘bubble dandelions’ to a dress a mere hour before the show (with the help of Ai Lan, of course), Fang laughs at the memory of the rush: “It was a one go experiment! I was also worried about the weight of it, which is between 30-40kg.” The bubble dandelions were the result of a collaboration with mothers from the Zhuang minority in the Guangxi region of China, facilitated by a charity initiative which empowers them to create accessible handcrafts in their own time. The mothers created hundreds of these delicate dandelions, which Fang incorporated into skirts, dresses, and accessories. “In Chinese culture, the dandelion symbolises strength, endurance, transience, and healing – qualities that resonate with the strength of Chinese mothers and their enduring connection to nature.”

Working closely with influential stylist Katie Grand, Fang was touched by how much time and dedication she put into the collection. “She was always there to offer support, either over the phone or for hours in the studio. She fully understood the brand and had so much advice on techniques and styling. She helped to connect the pieces, bringing all the elements together. We retained our brand’s original energy but Katie helped add the cool factor!” Fang also enthuses about the incredible support she received from Dolce&Gabbana, who provided her with invaluable resources and expertise. “[It] allowed us to expand into new product areas such as denim, sneakers, corset and sequins for the first time.”

Having studied in London for some time, Fang knows and loves the city well; “It is such a diverse and creative place. For me, it is the first truly international city. I am Chinese-Canadian, my partner is from Belgium, but we instantly felt at home. I even appreciate the rain! I was joking with a friend about the weather but we agreed that it’s probably why there are so many incredible artistic talents there, from fashion to art and literature. Everyone is stuck indoors so they may as well start creating something beautiful!”

Dressed in a striking green top when we speak, Fang, unsurprisingly, loves to wear bright colours for “positive energy”, but is also very superstitious and will always check what may be an auspicious hue for the day. And while she can’t resist comfort, she’s fare more likely to reach for one of her mother’s handmade knits in bright greens and oranges, than a traditional sweat sets.

For Fang, luxury clothing isn’t necessarily about a big-name brand, but a feeling – a memory, a connection, a special moment in time. “My favourite item in my closet is a patchwork jacket I found in a flea market in Turkey, just outside a tourist hotspot. The shop owner told me his sister wore it on her wedding day, and that it was one of a kind. That to me, along with my mother’s handmade knitwear, especially as she no longer finds it easy to knit, is a luxury. My wedding dresses will always be a luxury item in my archive, wardrobe and memory.”

While Fang can’t say too much about the next big projects on the horizon – remaining very tight lipped about a hot sportswear collaboration dropping soon – she will continue to connect with other global brands in kidswear and shoes, a practice run before she steers Susan Fang towards expansion, as well as a possible bridal line. Bouncing from a Nike/Fang basketball court takeover (her favourite collab project to date for its permanence and meaning), to oversized shirts and hoodies for Zara (the first Chinese designer to work with the high street giant), Fang’s hand-painted, rainbow-hued star is only going in one direction.

Working closely with her mother, but also her soon-to-be-husband, who left his job at Dyson to work at the brand, the possibilities really are endless for Fang, who loves nothing more than being surrounded by her family, doing what she loves. “That, for me, is the very definition of luxury.”

Visit susanfangofficial.com

Read more: Priya Ahluwalia is the real deal