Inside Susan Fang’s striking debut at Milan Fashion Week with Dolce & Gabbana

Hyperfeminine, delicate and ethereal—these are all adjectives that come to mind when you see a Susan Fang garment. Dig deeper into what’s behind the Chinese designer’s designs, marked by pastel shades, light and airy silhouettes and organic motifs, however, and you uncover a richer story of family and technical innovation.

Consider her signature Air Weave technique. Instead of cutting textiles such as organza and tulle according to a garment pattern or draping them on a mannequin, Fang’s approach minimises waste by cutting strips of fabric and stitching them together with mathematical precision to create a 3D grid-like effect on dresses and skirts. Fang’s mother helped to develop this pioneering technique, and the pair continue to collaborate closely to bring each collection to life. “[My mother] was the first person to understand the complex Air Weave technique,” Fang tells Tatler. “Her love for nature and craft, and her wise yet simple [investment of ] energy [into] enjoying the moment is at the core of our brand.”

Adding to the brand’s family affair is Fang’s husband Orelio De Jonghe, who serves as the director of accessories and footwear. The couple harness 3D-printing technologies to create handbags made from unconventional materials such as crystal resin, shaped to emulate chrysanthemums and honeycomb, as well as signature avant-garde showpieces that resemble dandelions. “Pushing the boundaries of garment construction is essential to our brand, [as is] merging tradition with innovation to create emotionally resonant pieces,” Fang says.

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Designer Susan Fang (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

Equipped with a clear aesthetic vision and a thirst to break the mould, it is no surprise that Fang has seen her namesake London- and Shanghai-based label gain significant momentum since its founding in 2017. Two years after she started it, the Central Saint Martins graduate, who cut her teeth at Stella McCartney and Céline by Phoebe Philo, was named a LVMH Prize semi-finalist. Collaborations with Crocs, Zara and &OtherStories followed, as did celebrity endorsement from the likes of K-pop titan Jisoo, Moka and Yunah of girl group Illit, and Chisa, from South Korea-based Japanese girl group XG. After establishing herself as a Shanghai Fashion Week regular, Fang made her London Fashion Week debut in 2022. This year, the independent brand ticked off another milestone: a runway show at Milan Fashion Week, with the support of Dolce & Gabbana.

With the backing of the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana—the Italian Fashion Council—and the Shanghai Fashion Designer Association, Fang’s eponymous label was selected to take part in the Italian house’s Supported by Dolce & Gabbana initiative. The programme, which was set up to empower up-and-coming designers from across the globe, not only offers recipients a coveted spot on the official Milan Fashion Week calendar but also grants access to Dolce & Gabbana’s archive, design teams and artisans, as well as support in terms of show production and press coverage.

“Initiatives like this don’t just support individual designers—they preserve artistry and foster innovation within fashion as a whole,” Fang says. “Working with Dolce & Gabbana was a transformative experience that deepened my appreciation for craftsmanship and storytelling in fashion.” It also granted her exposure and access that designers from this part of the world often struggle to obtain. “One of the biggest challenges for emerging Asian designers is gaining access to global platforms and resources. While Asia is home to exceptional talent and craftsmanship, the fashion industry remains largely centred around western fashion capitals,” Fang says. Other Asian talents to benefit from the initiative include Korean couturier Miss Sohee and Japanese dress designer Tomo Koizumi.

Susan Fang's autumn-winter 2025 collection (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

Floral sunnies at autumn-winter 2025 collection (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

Titled Air•Memory, Fang’s autumn-winter 2025 collection was shown at the tail end of Milan Fashion Week in March. The show, which took place at Dolce & Gabbana headquarters, transported attendees to the designer’s dream-like universe, which featured a holographic installation speckled with botanical motifs—a poignant homage to Fang’s mother, who she considers to be her greatest supporter. “Beyond her creative influence, my mother’s resilience, kindness and belief in the power of dreams have shaped my approach to design—one that celebrates human connection, craftsmanship and cultural storytelling,” the designer says.

While attending boarding school in England, Fang struggled to fit in and make friends. Her mother, based overseas and several hours ahead, would stay up every night until 3am so the pair could speak on the phone. “She had a full-time job but she never complained or said that she was tired. She was always there for me. No matter how crazy my childhood dreams were, my mum has never laughed and always believed in me,” Fang says.

The designer began her sartorial tribute to her mother in Milan by celebrating the latter’s own artistic leanings—Ai Lan picked up painting as a hobby in her fifties. These artworks, filled with the natural landscapes of her hometown in China’s Zhejiang province, were reimagined in sequins and embroidery on tailored long coats and dresses. “Her work captures the vibrancy of nature with a raw and self-taught beauty,” Fang says. “Through this collection and our debut show in Milan, I hope to bring her dream of holding an art exhibition closer to reality, just as she has helped me achieve mine.”

Sceneries on garments inspired by Susan Fang's mother (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

Landscapes of Ai Lan's hometown on garments (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

Fang shone a light on her mother’s knack for design too; Ai Lan was the mastermind behind three pastel-hued dresses that displayed the brand’s hallmark Air Flowers—another original technique that creates floral buds out of strips of tulle folded in on themselves. Last month, Fang walked down the aisle in one of these pieces. “She created these dresses in anticipation of my wedding in May,” Fang says. “To me, they are a symbol of love’s enduring presence and the beauty of memories yet to come.”

The emerging brand also celebrated motherly love more broadly by employing mothers from the Zhuang ethnic group from the Chinese autonomous region of Guangxi to create another one of her brand signatures—her Bubble Dandelion elements. These arrangements of transparent crystal beads on sculptural dresses, skirts and accessories echo the shape and structure of a flowering tree.

Having previously concentrated mainly on delicate dresses, blouses, skirts, shorts, knitwear, jewellery and handbags, the Dolce & Gabbana initiative enabled Fang to experiment with new product categories, including sneakers, denim and corsetry, as well a new decorative elements such as sequins and embroidery. “This process pushed me to experiment with materiality and construction, expanding my creative vocabulary in meaningful ways,” she says. Loyalists will also have noticed her new Air Pleats technique that formed the show’s closing series of bouncy, rainbow-hued dresses and skirts.

Susan Fang's autumn-winter 2025 collection (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

Susan Fang's autumn-winter 2025 collection details (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

It’s a busy year. As well as her Milan Fashion Week debut and wedding, Fang showcased a collaboration with Nike at Shanghai Fashion Week in April and is gearing up to drop new co-branded footwear and childrenswear offerings. And that’s just the beginning. “We hope to continue to create innovative designs and grow the brand into an internationally recognised fashion house, branching further into lifestyle, furniture and perfume,” she says.

But more than anything, the designer’s priority is to continue to spread joy through her work—a message that also drives her Air•Memory collection. “This collection tries to explore the idea that perhaps happiness isn’t so complex or hard to achieve,” Fang says. “Especially in our ever-complex society filled with information overload, I hope this collection can be a healing reminder that happiness can be very close to us.

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