RUI, or the Birth of the Oneiric Garment
Is there anything more captivating than an artistic performance concealed as a fashion show? This season, RUI’s proposal is an exploration of the notion of absence through an intriguing, lyrical interpretation. The designer has tackled the blurry line between inner and outer through an impeccably executed metaphorical work, putting forward a fascinating new perspective on this duality.
Rui Zhou has taken the idea of an ambiguous symbiosis between alterity and heterogenous nature to add an innovative layer of conceptual depth to the topic. This battle between interior and exterior, enveloped by an aura of uncertainty, creates a void, a felt absence between these two seemingly contradictory forces.
The performance was a truly unique sensory experience. By using absence as creative force and driving thread, it left a long-lasting impression on the subtle duality contained in the liminal interstice between these two worlds. It was a genuine artistic tour de force that transcended a simple presentation of clothes, becoming a visual meditation on the nature of existence.
Moreover, the performance also revealed what had always been Rui Zhou’s preferred medium support: the body. Cut open, almost to the point of tearing, the fabrics are stretched over the nearly-naked bodies of the models, leaving exposed those parts that usually belong to the realm of the hidden
Among the many fashion devotees in attendance, we spotted Alexandra Guerain, Regina Anikiy, Alyy Space, Kiwi Lee Han, Eva Gutowski, Lin Lin, and Camella Rose.
Text: Emma Grossi
Photos: Ludovica Arcero
