Dear Shaded Viewers,
Di Du’s fall/winter 23/24 collection for DIDU is a provocative and sensual display of the female form. The theme of the collection centers around skin, with the designer drawing inspiration from both European ballet attire and the Chinese qipao, a symbol of opulence in the 1920s Shanghai. The resulting collection is daring and erotic, celebrating the beauty of the body and embracing its sensuality.
The collection, titled “Ici c’est le paradis,” is the first collection that DIDU has fully developed in Paris, following the designer’s relocation from Shanghai in 2022. In a world that is filled with threats and depressing news, this collection aims to provide a counter-proposal to the suffocating state of the world, moving from anger to acceptance and celebrating the moments of joy that we have with our loved ones.
The collection features vaporous sheer fabrics in grey and fleshy tones, which layer over the skin in an otherworldly haze. The Western female ballet garments are echoed by narrow and fluid shapes, close-fitting tops, and flowing ends. Elongated sleeves combine with slender flare pants, and old French-style flower embroideries gracefully collide with Chinese standing collars.
The collection also includes washed-out denim and faded colors, delicately destroyed knit hoodies, and leg warmers in a cream palette. These pieces never move away from a sense of urgency, as anguish seems to be creeping into these brief, fleeting moments of bliss. Di Du invites us to cherish these moments before they slowly disappear.
Overall, Di Du’s fall/winter 23/24 collection for DIDU is a provocative and sensual celebration of the female form. The collection draws on the designer’s experiences in Paris and the cultural clash that emerged from moving there from China. It is a bold and daring statement that celebrates the beauty of the body and encourages us to cherish the moments of joy that we have in a world that can often be suffocating.
Later,
Leticia
