Zhuzhu's Phaédo Studios: From Antwerp to China

Chinese designer Zhuzhu, the first from his country admitted to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, has opened his own atelier, Phaédo Studios, in China. His work transforms everyday objects into surprising creations through a cognitive and emotional process that elevates simple, natural materials like traditional Chinese paper, silk, cotton, and earth. A scientific approach of observation and deep study underpins his manual craftsmanship. Over three years, Zhuzhu and his team have developed a collection encompassing nature, time, and their passage on fabrics and colors. His installation at Triennale Milano, 'From Things to Form,' debuted this vision, featuring bricks made from rice starch, oil, and clay used in traditional Chinese floors, evoking the repetitive patterns of Ai Weiwei. The labyrinth of mud, earth, and aged paper leads to garments of hand-dyed silks and cottons treated as canvases. Zhuzhu sees fashion as a union of East and West, femininity and contemporaneity, with fabrics, colors, and forms suitable for all ages and women.