SEAN SUEN Breaks Free From Gender Norms For the SS25 Show
This spring/summer 2025 menswear edition of Paris Fashion Week features Sean Suen’s latest collection. Inspired by the legendary figure of Beijing opera master Mei Lanfang, the proposal by the Chinese designer is a quest for a balance between tradition and modernity.
Renowned for his interpretations of female roles, Mei Lanfang was not only an exceptional artist but also a man of great elegance. Sean Suen’s collection seeks to embody this subtle blend of masculine and feminine that Mei Lanfang represents, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. The designer revamps traditional Chinese opera dress codes by deconstructing and reassembling them, granting them a contemporary twist.
Cloud collars, full sleeves, jade belts and other ornaments distinctive of opera costumes blend harmoniously with the tailored cuts of jackets, trousers and coats. The vibrant colour palettes of the theatrical realm meet the neutral hues of contemporary fashion, creating a subtle blend of gender codes. Each piece embodies the beauty of the Orient while meeting the latest fashion trends.
Through this collection, Sean Suen pays tribute to China’s cultural heritage, while presenting a new aesthetic vision embracing a global approach. Among the guests in attendance, we spotted Ray Ray Mccloud III, Kelegh Moutome, Tran Quang Dai, Lythan Cottaz and Pascal Morand, to name but a few.
Photos: Astrid Staes
