Designer Plans Break To Explore Life Beyond Fashion Industry Pressures
Chinese designer Calvin Luo has announced he will put his namesake label on hold starting from the first quarter of 2025. Luo, who has presented collections in New York, Paris, and Shanghai, seeks to step away from fashion’s standardized routine to “learn, explore, and truly experience life,” he said.
A Parsons alum, Luo has been a prominent figure for Chinese design on the global stage. He was among the first of his generation to expand retail operations across China, with stores in Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, and Shenzhen, and sold to over 70 global doors via wholesale. At its peak, the label achieved annual turnovers of 100 million renminbi ($13.8 million).
Luo has also consulted for Lanvin on China-related projects and collaborated with Zara for a Chinese New Year collection in 2023. Additionally, he founded the independent fashion magazine Rouge Fashionbook.
“Those familiar with the fashion industry understand that it is akin to riding a bicycle — you must keep pedaling or stop altogether. Each year follows a predictable rhythm and schedule, almost like a preset answer,” Luo said. “Continuing as is would likely mean staying in this intense industry cycle indefinitely, which is not the life I envision for myself.”
He continued, “Looking ahead, I see a path that becomes highly commercialized and commoditized, where dealing with numbers overshadows the creative process, and most of my energy is spent on non-design-related tasks. This is not what I desire.”
Luo, known for his designs that elegantly juxtapose clashing elements, admitted that trivial work tasks and constant demands have increased his anxiety about the future.
Last year, Luo mentioned he was saving up for a significant 10th-anniversary celebration, which might now take the form of a farewell party.