For the SS21 collection, Chinese designer Di Du took over the iconic and historic Paramount Hall Shanghai for the runway presentation of her latest collection, titled “Under The Skin”. Di Du’s creations are not your archetypical ballroom attire, but for this collection, Di Du wanted to disrupt the common misconception of where up and coming designers belong in regards to showing collections.

« Many people think that as a young brand, we should go to clubs or somewhere more youthful for our show, but we’re not. I hope everyone can understand that as an emerging brand, the way to create something new can also be through exploring ourselves. It is also important to recognize that DIDU, as a young designer brand also has a cultural background. This cultural heritage should not be forgotten nor ignored.” declared Di Du.

DIDU’s SS21 collection came into fruition with inspiration primarily from the 2013 film Under the Skin, directed by Jonathan Glazer. Di Du explains that “When extraterrestrial beings imitate humans, they begin with clothing and makeup first. Meaning that to an extraterrestrial being, clothing is our first layer and to them, our skin.” It’s this concept that motivated the creative process for the collection, focusing primarily on the relationship between the garment and the body.

Discover some of the looks below.