There’s no mincing words when it comes to Caroline Hu’s inspiration for her balletic spring 2022 collection. The short, mournful poem “Two-Billion Light-Years of Solitude” by Japanese poet Shuntaro Tanikawa was one of her primary references. A translation of the middle stanzas of the short poem reads: “The universal force of gravity/ is the mutual attraction of loneliness // The universe is warped / That is why we are drawn to each other // The universe keeps on expanding / That is why we all feel anxious.” Sound familiar?
Hu dwells on the sorrowful aspects of modern life with a resilient beauty. Presented in a dance performance choreographed and directed by Zhihao, her new lineup is one of her spriteliest and most whimsical yet. Speaking over a video call, she explained how the ongoing conversations with Zhihao led her to try out a new medium for her show as well as new modes of design. Because the garments are made to complement bodies in motion, tops and skirts are cropped. In light silks, they look like pearlescent little puffs—and they’re now available in a wider range of sizes to span the spectrum of bodies and genders.
