THE BRAND

The fusion of different contrasts is what makes Sankuanz. The Chinese brand deals with the balance but also with the tension between western and eastern fashion, with the differences and significant characteristics of American and Asian youth culture. With a dystopian, gender boundaries free & unisex approach to this interpretation, Sankuanz is embarking on the path of many up-and-coming Chinese brands that do justice to the new generation of high quality clothing. Especially in recent years, the upswing in Asia has been enormous and Sankuanz is a prime example of this.

Sankuanz´ look also reflects diversity. Parts of sportswear are mixed with tailored elements, art with pop culture with military peculiarities to a mix that also reflects the diversity within youth culture and thus is the ideal mouthpiece of the generation, regardless of whether Asia or America.

HISTORY

Founded by the young Chinese designer Shangghuan Zhe and two of his friends, Sankuanz set off in 2008. The label is based on the small island of Xiamen in southern China, the city where Shangghuan Zhe studied.

Sankuanz received its first international attention in 2013 when Zhe published its first international collection. Shangghuan Zhe was already known for his women's fashion line called Ze by Sankuanz.

Through recurring collaboration with multidisciplinary artists such as Zuoxiao Zuzhou or Xu Zhen and the reference to Chinese youth culture, Sankuanz has made a name for itself in China and internationally. Daring subjects in combination with great boldness to cross borders within the streetwear scene make Sankuanz a strong driving force in Asian fashion.

For the designer himself it is important to show the world in the near future with his upcoming collections, what is happening in China, what people, especially young people, are striving for and what is moving them. With his fashion he wants to draw attention to exactly these conditions.

DESIGNER

In 1984 the designer and founder of the Sankuanz brand, Shangghuan Zhe was born in Changting, China. After his school years, he went into his training period. He completed his studies in Xiamen, where he received two degrees in visual communication and advertising. Fashion design, he says, is not something you learn in a university. There you only learn how to sew clothes, but not what the bigger idea behind it is. For him, creativity and vision are what fashion is all about. And in the end, everyone has to deal with it for themselves.

This is also the main reasons why Shangguhuan Zhe stays on the relatively small island of Xiamen and not, like many other artists, in the creative metropoles such as Beijing or Shanghai. On Xiamen one is unaffected by trends and tendencies which are then increasingly reflected in the collections of the designers and look the same. Zhe always retains his authenticity and stands out from the crowd in the midst of the creative and design process in which he always works from Xiamen. This was and is the case in each of his seasons.

COLLECTIONS

Spring / Summer 19

Protection and various ways to accomplish this are the hanger of the spring collection, which, for the most part, comes in black and white. Nuances of neon green, purple and classic camouflage are the only breakthroughs that can be seen.

Bullet-proof vests, raincoats made of PVC, hoods with balaclava-like face protection, chain mail and classic leather are the possibilities that Sankuanz demonstrates.

Fall / Winter 18

In a dystopian vision of the future we find the setting for the Fall / Winter 2018 collection by Sankuanz. Comfort, convenience and beauty are only of secondary importance and flexibility as well as mobility are in the forefront.

Sporty silhouettes are combined with durable yet robust fabrics and military functionality without a hint of fancyness.

An adult collection with a dark flair, which creates a new direction of Sankuanz, which nevertheless remains true to the usual line.

Spring / Summer 18

Inspired by the creative life of artist Cy Twobly, the compositions of the runway looks are composed like his paintings. Colour combinations as often seen in the artist's work combine with his iconic scribbles which are used as all-over patterns.

Yellow, cream, camouflage and a light mint green run through the entire collection, which is characterised by a mix of functional military clothing, workwear and tailored unisex fashion.

Fall / Winter 17

Once again Shangghuan Zhe leads us into a destroyed and rebuilt version of the earth, in which people are forced to fabricate their own clothes. Do It Yourself attitude can thus often be seen through unfinished edges and cuts, functional pockets and straps that are very contemporary.

The post-apocalyptic look of the clothing itself is broken by a very bright and cheerful palette of colours. A nice contrast that brings the collection even more to life.