Angel Talk

Chinese fashion darling Angel Chen has made a huge splash on the global scene – and the burgeoning designer continues to shine

Acclaimed Chinese fashion designer Angel Chen is distinguished by her colorful approach to style and her aesthetic sensibility that combines East and West. The Shenzhen native graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2014; her placement year included internships with Vera Wang, Marchesa and Alexander Wang in New York. Following her graduate collection, I-D magazine singled her out as one of five designers to watch; Chen debuted her own brand a year later. Part of a new wave of Chinese design talent, she has shown at Milan, London and Shanghai Fashion Weeks, and is stocked at Lane Crawford, Luisa Via Roma and other top international retailers. Now based in Shanghai, she recently took time out of her busy schedule for a candid chat with CDLP.

You made your New York Fashion Week debut with the SS19 collection but the city has always been an influence on you.

Yes. I stayed there for a year before I graduated from Central Saint Martins. New York influenced and shaped me a lot. In the city, I discovered my favorite artists. The brand, Angel Chen, is very young and energetic, which I think is a good match with New York and New York Fashion Week.

Describe a typical work day for you in Shanghai.

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I usually arrive at the company around 10 in the morning. When I get there, about 10 people crowd me, asking questions about design details, sales and public relations. We’re now moving our office, so we’re busy with purchasing and decorating.

Pop-up invitations, the release of new collections and collaborations take up much of our time. I often skip lunch and usually eat my second meal at around 10 in the evening. After I go home, sometimes I work a while, until one or two in the morning, before I sleep.