SHUWEN ZHAO

The project "INNER BEAST" started from the book and film "American Psycho" and explores the line between fiction and reality in relation to dualities of masculinity. Beneath the surface of everyday life and work, there might be a hidden, more primal aspect to the male psyche.

This collection utilizes reversible garments to translate this duality, aiming to create a new concept of a reversible wardrobe for men. The goal is to expand the diversity of outfit combinations with the same garment, providing consumers with a varied dressing experience. In contrast to established reversible garments, this project uses single-layer bonded fabrics to create innovative reversible garments where the inner and outer layers are seamlessly integrated, resulting in a lighter and softer overall garment. Digital printing is employed to enhance the distinctiveness between the inner and outer layers.

The project metaphorically associates the inner wildness of men with the powerful and majestic nature of horses. After engaging in primary research on horses and collaborating with different stables and breeds, a subtle horsehair print was developed for this collection to enhance genetic identity of the breed, both horse and man.