Yun Qu, the Founder of the NYC based brand Videmus Omnia, which was founded in 2016, let me know that she was listening to Nirvana when she got the inspiration for her A/W 2019 collection, “Enigma”. The collection, which features grunge fashion and Renaissance art debuted at the A/W 2019 New York Fashion Week. “Enigma” marks Yun’s third collection.
When I entered Yun Qu’s studio in New York on a Sunday afternoon, the first thing that grabbed my attention was a guitar against the window that faced the street. This confirmed my suspicion that Yun is passionate about music and once played in a rock band during her high school years. In fact, the influence of music on Yun is so powerful that when asked about her fashion icon, the first name that hits her mind is Marilyn Manson, a heavy metal vocalist who was famous for his controversial appearance and personality. “[He] looks scary, but I think the way he dresses is cool,” said Yun.
Aspiration of music is in Yun’s DNA. Born and raised in China, Yun started studying music when she was four. At 16, she moved to the States to attend high school, though with a passion to explore jazz. “Jazz is not as popular in China as it’s here”, said Yun. However, her pursuit of music met a major obstacle when her mother told her that it’s unrealistic to continue a musical path in college. “My mom said that ‘I don’t want you to sleep on the street after graduation’,” Yun told me. It’s not uncommon in Chinese culture that chasing after a career in music is frowned upon, because it’s regarded as a rebellious sign of “hopeless kids.” Yet intervention from her mom was not the end of her story with music. Instead, she decided to dabble in fashion design and transcend her understanding of music into a new area. Acceptance from many top fashion schools surprised her at first. “I didn’t know that I could get into fashion,” she told me. Doubtful as she was, it turned out that her time at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) brought out the best in Yun, who now shines as a prospective young designer and shows originality in her unconventional designs.
The phrase Videmus Omnia means “we see everything” in Latin. “It felt like a mysterious prophecy when I heard the translation. And I was correct”, she said. “I love reading Sherlock Holmes series when I was little,” Yun giggled, “and something like secret organizations always fascinates me.” The mysterious vibe of her design, however, means more than fantasy to Yun. It’s also a unique expression of her personal identity. “I want to hide behind my brand and [people] won’t be able to predict my next move,” said Yun. Although her design incorporates traits of mixed cultures, she suggested that the stereotypes toward works by Asian artists do exist. “They will judge what my style is based on what I look like.” For her latest collection, she received feedback that her work had an “Asian flavor” from people who were not familiar with the brand. She said that the feature of Renaissance period and grunge rock could be easily overlooked just because she is an Asian artist.
When facing critics who directed statements such as “crazy” and “not for real life” toward her design language, Yun thinks that it’s a matter of personal taste. The black floral pattern and deconstructed silhouette, in her opinion, are not just for stage wear. “It’s just artistic but still can be worn in everyday life,” she said. A supporter of the slow fashion movement, Yun has insisted in crafting handmade clothing since day one. The fabrics of her clothes, in particular, are not only of high quality, but can be adapted to different styles. “The silk doesn’t have to be soft,” Yun said. Moreover, as she explained, the versatility of her fabrics will not be limited to multiple uses, but advanced with the aid of technology in the future. She recalled that a couple of years ago, a fashion designer (Manel Torres) developed a spray-on fabric in collaboration with a professor of particle technology in London. The magic material is a liquid mixture that enables you to spray clothes directly onto your body and after the spray dries, it becomes a washable and re-wearable shirt. As a New Yorker, Yun found the unpredictable weather here rather annoying. “I want to design a kind of clothing that can change according to different weather conditions.”
Please follow Yun’s collections on her official website and the Instagram account of Videmus Omnia.
Shop her design in DREAMS ON AIR – SOHO, NY 120 Wooster St, New York, NY 10012
Images Coursey of: Yun Qu
