Measuring up

Photo Provided to China Daily

Ji has created a wardrobe that mixes luxury and simplicity, and celebrates artistic experimentation. His garments cross cultures, integrate East and West, and mix national cultures and art.

His flowing trousers and spiffy jackets make models look like austere Zen monks. This season, he was partly inspired by the easy simplicity of Zen monks' vestments, mixed with modern tailoring and a strong sense of cut and drape. Spirituality has always been the driving force of his sense of style.

"For this season, behind the design concept of my new silhouette, there was a philosophical idea which refers to a Chinese expression she de - the hand that gathers. This beautiful philosophical saying originates from the Chan of China: She - lend - and de - gain. You have to lose first if you want to win thereafter. It is a way of life and is widespread behavior in Chinese culture," he says.

He describes his creative process in almost mystical terms.

"It is a vision - the spirit I perceive inside of me - that is behind the way I face life. And, consequently, I express through my creations. You can call it Chan or you can call it Zen; nothing really changes."

He favors black and elegance in his collections.

"Black means neatness and tidiness to me," says the fashion designer, who's usually clad in black.

He also works with contrasts - crisp white shirts featuring exclusive prints blend with a modern aesthetic.

"They were inspired by my personal reconnection with the Chinese painters of my youth. Those black brushes on white evoked the daily scenes of those ageless times and landscapes."

Ji's team takes an innovative approach to tailoring and traditional silhouettes, injecting modern finishing and techniques.