Huishan Zhang often dedicates his collections to the cinematic muses that inspire him. Pre-fall was an homage to the character Judy Barton, from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 psychological masterpiece Vertigo, played by Kim Novak. “There are dualities to her personality, which I’m fascinated by—she’s elegant yet unravelling, dangerous yet vulnerable,” the designer said over Zoom from Qingdao. “I was struck by her complexities, and I wanted to create a wardrobe that represented her in our own way, without it being obvious.”
Across the collection there were contrasts representative of Novak’s character. For instance, a crepe midi dress with jewel embellishments that featured billowing sleeves in tulle. A sultry V-neck was placed on tailored separates; it contrasted with ruched details. There was also a classic cotton drill trench in rust, a tribute to Novak’s distinguished white coat from the film. It opened at the back to reveal an unexpected cape adorned with the brand's trademark ostrich feathers.
The rich color palette, and the lookbook shoot itself, were nods to the cinematic styles of Hitchcock. The hues used throughout ranged from jewel tones in aubergine and crimson to darker tones of navy and brown. “We decided to shoot at a mid-century house in Southern California, which aesthetically made sense for the references,” said Zhang. “The photographs were captured at dusk and at dawn for the precise kind of lighting that I had envisioned.”
