Chinese designer Calvin Luo, who has presented collections in New York, Paris and Shanghai, has decided to put his namesake label founded a decade ago on hold from the first quarter of 2025, as he looks to step away from fashion’s standardized routine to “learn, explore, and truly experience life,” he said.
The Parsons alum has been an active voice for Chinese design on the global stage and was among the first of his generation of emerging designers to tap into retail expansion across China with stores in Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Shenzhen, as well as sell to more than 70 doors globally via wholesale, with annual turnovers reaching 100 million renminbi, or $13.8 million, at the line’s peak.
He has also consulted for Lanvin on China-related projects and launched a Chinese New Year collaboration with Zara for the Year of the Rabbit in 2023. Luo is also the founder of the independent fashion magazine Rouge Fashionbook.
“Those familiar with the fashion industry understand that it is akin to riding a bicycle — you must keep pedaling or stop altogether. Each year follows a predictable rhythm and schedule, almost like a preset answer,” Luo said. “Continuing as is would likely mean staying in this intense industry cycle indefinitely, which is not the life I envision for myself.
“Looking ahead, I see a path that becomes highly commercialized and commoditized, where dealing with numbers overshadows the creative process, and most of my energy is spent on non-design-related tasks. This is not what I desire,” added Luo, who is known for the elegant juxtaposition of clashing elements in his designs.
The Shanghai-based designer admitted that he has been increasingly distracted by trivial tasks at work, while constant demands and stresses are fueling his anxiety about the future.
The designer told WWD that he is considering either studying abroad or taking a long holiday after his brand is wrapped.
Last year, Luo said he was saving up for a big 10th-anniversary celebration. The designer teased that it might be materialized in the form of a farewell party.
Luo is not alone, though he’s the first to make a formal annoucement. Following an unexpected period of robust growth during the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to pent-up demand, many designers in Shanghai have scaled back or suspended operations post-pandemic as orders shrank.
