Press Release
JULY 2021
HUISHAN ZHANG LAUNCHES A PORTFOLIO CELEBRATING ASIAN CULTURE AND SUPPORTING CHARITIES
In 2020, during the Covid 19 pandemic, HUISHAN ZHANG created a portfolio called “Lessons we learnt in Lockdown” which featured interviews with women around the world including Hikari Yokoyama, Linda Rodin, Djuna Bel, Ramya Giangola, Alessandra Codinha, Gala Gordon, Anna Vitiello, Taylor Tomassi Hill, Natalie Joos, Chloe Gosselin and more. HUISHAN ZHANG partnered with ‘Women for Women International’ to raise funds and awareness to support female survivors of war.
Further to the recent global issues affecting Asian communities, HUISHAN ZHANG has curated a new portfolio to celebrate women across the world, to raise awareness of ongoing conversations and to highlight organisations and charities supporting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the USA and East and South East Asian Britons in the UK affected by a rise in hate crimes and racism. HUISHAN ZHANG will be donating all of the proceeds of the sale of two runway looks to support the following organisations in the UK and USA:
USA https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-aapi-community-fund
UK https://uk.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-esea-hate
The portfolio explores the role of mentors and highlights Asian-owned businesses. It features women internationally including Tilly Macalister-Smith, Jenny Walton and Bev Nguyen in New York City, Krys Marshall, Kate Foley, Rach Nguyen, Laurel Pantin, Sophie Lopez and Ploi Horwang in Los Angeles, as well as Tish Weinstock, Leith Clark, Charlotte Carey and Chloe Medley in London and Alessia Bossi in Milan.
As a Chinese-born, London-based designer, Huishan mapped out his signature style, finding inspiration and direction through his national identity. Huishan studied at Central Saint Martins College and graduated in 2010. During his studies, Zhang was handpicked by Delphine Arnault to spend his third year working in the House of Dior - Paris, working in Dior's Haute Couture Atelier.
Huishan Zhang will be announcing that he will be offering to mentor an Asian student from a UK university to provide insight into the workings of a fashion brand, access to key knowledge, contacts, insight and experience to help with the University course and start of their career. The aim is to allow a student the opportunity to gain experience and preparation for final year of study and begin building an essential network of contacts and knowledge of the industry.
“I have been very fortunate in my career and feel that it is my turn to give others the opportunity to be mentored at the start of their career and to help them navigate this industry and understand the workings of a brand. We have always been supportive and inclusive and would like to make a pledge to continue this commitment.’ Huishan Zhang
Editor notes:
For further information and high res imagery from the portfolio: julia@juliamelbourne.com
Photographers:
New York City: Chelsy Mitchell, Ernesto Roman
Los Angeles: Bliss Catherine, Max Montgomary
London: Bella Howard, Nicole Nodland
About HUISHAN ZHANG:
www.huishanzhang.com
Instagram @huishanzhang
London based luxury brand HUISHAN ZHANG was launched in 2011. As a Chinese-born, London-based designer, Huishan has mapped out his signature style, finding inspiration and direction through his national identity. Creating a luxurious brand where Eastern heritage meets Western influences. Huishan studied at Central Saint Martins, during those years, he was hand-picked by Deplhine Arnault to spend his third year working in the House of Dior, Paris, working in leather goods and Dior’s Haute Couture Atelier. Huishan Zhang was named in the BOF 500 as a name shaping the global Fashion Industry and counts among his awards the International Chinese Designer of the Year at Elle China Style Awards, in 2015 a finalist for the LVMH prize and in 2017 a nominee for the British Vogue Fashion Fund. HUISHAN ZHANG has been worn by notable women including Keira Knightley, Gigi Hadid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Poppy Delevingne, Naomi Campbell, Emma Roberts, Fan Bing Bing, Sienna Miller, Phoebe Waller Bridge and more.