Setting Our Hearts To Aflutter, Kiki Wang Left Us In Awe With Her Designing. Proving that fashion is not just a pair of garments, it’s an art form. Kiki Wang is proving it by dressing our Digital Cover Star for March, Shefali Roy.
We are lost in the charm by Kiki Wang who looks for fashion in everyday clothes and is an accomplished Award-Winning Hollywood Celebrity Fashion Designer. Spicing life with glam goals, this diva has always been setting fashion goals and leaving us in awe. From dressing Hollywood/ Chinese movie stars to European princess she has been slaying the fashion game since day one. Evidence her, acing all fashion looks which definitely says that she is on point when it comes to fashion.
“After I got into one of the top universities in China, I started sewing my own clothes again. I bought the fabric, went to the tailor, and gave the instructions on how to implement the design that I had sketched down. And because of that, I always had the most unique clothes among my peers.”
When did fashion design come into your life?
Fashion design came into my life very early on. When I was six years old, I made my first set of clothes for my barbie doll, and that, I believe, was the beginning of my fashion designing. Of course, I certainly did not know that what I was doing at that time was called “fashion design.” I just liked to dress up my dolls. This morphed into a passion for the arts. And before I knew it, I started to draw on paper. I drew anything I could see or come up with; flowers, patterns, people, and so on. Nobody told me anything about art and I did not ask anybody either, I just drew. And when I turned seven or eight years old, I became particularly good at drawing. I was inspired by ancient Chinese women from TV shows and picture books. And every day I used to draw these ancient Chinese characters, putting on different clothes, different hair accessories, and various kinds of beautiful designs on them. I considered that the official start of my fashion design life. As a student, I had to balance my academic life with my passions. I focused on school, got good grades, and became one of the best students, and after I got into one of the best universities. After I got into one of the top universities in China, I started sewing my own clothes again. I bought the fabric, went to the tailor, and gave the instructions on how to implement the design that I had sketched down. And because of that, I always had the most unique clothes among my peers. So, I think design has been a part of my life, and has never gone away or disappeared. I have been doing fashion design my whole life.
Can you tell us more about your journey so far?
Yes! It was a very exciting and incredible journey. As a 10-year I have a full-time stay-at-home mom who majored in finance and business, I never had any professional fashion training. I only had two things going for me, my passion and my love for fashion. But I think passion is the best teacher. I built my fashion label all from scratch. And quickly found my way to work with movie stars and celebrities across the globe. Such as the princess of Germany, movie stars, and celebrities from Hollywood, China, and Europe. Golden globe’s official website featured me as “the red queen of fashion”, World News of today called me the “Queen of fashion dreams”, etc. I also collaborated with the Italian top jewellery brand Bvlgari for its European campaign. In 2019, I presented the biggest all-red fashion show in the world with 300 models in China. In 2022, I was invited to work with an Oscar-winning team for a Hollywood feature film as a wardrobe designer. My designs have been worn by celebrities on almost all the prestigious red carpets in the world: the Oscars, the Golden Globe, BET, MTV, Grammy’s, Cannes film festival, Dubai international film festival, South Korea film festival, Chinese Baihua film festival, etc. France, Italy, Dubai, the USA, China, and many more fashion highlands have seen my fashion shows. These beautiful international fashion communities have surprised me with a lot of awards, such as the Designer of The Year Award, Women of The Year Award, Outstanding Entrepreneur Award, etc. Through my journey, I met a lot of kind people who helped me and guided me selflessly. I appreciated them from the bottom of my heart very much! I am so grateful that I can’t only achieve my dream and also receive so much love from this industry. I can’t thank enough for fashion!
“Through my journey, I met a lot of kind people who helped me and guided me selflessly. I appreciated them from the bottom of my heart very much! I am so grateful that I can’t only achieve my dream and also receive so much love from this industry. I can’t thank enough for fashion!”
From dressing Chinese and Hollywood movie stars to European princesses share the experience you relish and that went well.
I have always had a very good experience with movie stars all around the world. Most of them are very humble and kind. They respect my opinion and give me enough room to style their red-carpet appearance. I also have learned a lot from them all the time. One instance that I would like to share is, the Princess of Germany, her highness Dr Antonia not only gave me positive feedback about my design, but she also taught me some knowledge about peacocks and gave me a different perspective when it comes to fashion applications. “Kiki’s menu” has been one of our secrets among my celebrity friends for fitting into my dress. They joked that one week before their event, they will follow “Kiki’s menu” which means a vegetarian diet to slim down and fit in the dress.
One thing I can’t stop bragging about is that I have the best team to work with. When we design clothes for celebrities, we don’t give for fitting, we just take the measurements and design the dress, ship it to celebrities, and it would fit them like a glove. This also makes our life a lot easier as it helps us design clothes quickly for any event that may come up. And not to mention that the celebrities are also relieved since we don’t have to refit it over and over again. This also gained us a lot of trust from celebrities and words of recommendation.
What does fashion design mean to you and who was your inspiration, when you started?
Fashion design means everything to me, it’s my passion, it’s my love, it’s my way to communicate with this world, and it’s also the best way for me to help people. I’m so lucky and grateful that I can do something I love. I found my purpose. I love what I do, and I just enjoy the creative process. I cannot imagine my life if I don’t have fashion design as my profession.
Coco Chanel was definitely one of my role models when I first started. She does not just design beautiful clothes; she also brings a revolution to women’s wear. She saved women from the big and inconvenient skirt and brought in the men’s wear concept for women’s wear. I think it has a huge impact on the fashion industry and is very powerful. As designers, we should always break the rules, make people’s lives easier and bring harmony to this world.
“The “Kiki’s menu” has been one of our secrets among my celebrity friends for fitting into my dress. They joked that one week before their event, they will follow “Kiki’s menu” which means a vegetarian diet to slim down and fit in the dress. “
What do you regard as the best materials to use in your designs?
I love to use natural materials, such as silk, wool, cotton, and high-quality materials. Good high-quality fabric will make people feel expensive and important. In my book, I have always suggested people to pay attention to the fabric when they pick clothes. I also pay close attention to what is next in terms of fabric. I am very much into functional fabrics of the future as well.
What do you find to be your favourite part about being a fashion designer?
I think my favourite part is to see people shine and become happier when they put on my designs. I have even seen tears in the corner of some of my client’s eyes after they take a look in the mirror for the first time after trying on my clothes. They told me that my design brought the best out of them. I realized that fashion is not just a profession, it is also a way to boost other people up. It can help make people feel better, increase their self-esteem, and make them love themselves more. Especially in this era, Fashion is becoming more and more important in everyday life. I even have a whole chapter talking about the importance of fashion and what fashion can do in my upcoming book. I think everyone should treat fashion more seriously and harness the power of fashion. To help people bring more recognition, more opportunities, and more success to their tables. In conclusion, fashion is the easiest way to boost someone’s confidence, and I am so glad that I can create them with my talents.
There’s so much stress for designers to come out with their splendid collection season after season. In your opinion, what are some important skills or traits for a fashion designer who is just starting out and hoping to make it in the industry?
Fashion designing can be very stressful if you are doing fashion just for fashion. First, I consider fashion design a process of creating an art piece. A great indicator of good art is that it has the power to attract, and it can mesmerize you through just your eyes. That is why when we visit an art gallery and see a masterpiece, we get captivated by it. Even if we don’t know the meaning or even how it was made. When we design fashion with our hearts, our creations will have a temperature, and will naturally be warm and inspiring. Second, I have a rule when I do fashion, I only design things that I will like myself, and that I will wear and enjoy too. If you wouldn’t want to wear a dress you’ve made, then throw it away! Stop trying to please others. Because that will make you lose yourself. Remember that only YOU can make something original and unique. We do not need any more copies in this world today, we need creations, and we need originality. Lastly, we should treat all our customers as though they are geniuses, deserving of our utmost respect. Eventually, they will feel that energy and will echo the same sentiment back to us.
“Fashion design means everything to me, it’s my passion, it’s my love, it’s my way to communicate with this world, and it’s also the best way for me to help people. I’m so lucky and grateful that I can do something I love.”
If not fashion design, what would you be up to right now?
I was born for fashion designing. I don’t see any other possibility other than fashion design. I think life always leads us in the right direction. If you follow its lead, you will reach where you should be eventually. I think everything that happens in life has a purpose, to help you grow and become stronger. And that they are here to prepare you for your mission. After I finished my education in China and then in the USA, I worked as an accountant, an insurance sales agent, a territory manager, a full-time mom, a business owner, and even a temporary job as a receptionist for a doctor’s office. These jobs had very little in common, but the thing they did have in common was that they all gave me a wide variety of insights and new perspectives on life. They also helped building a good foundation for me when I started my fashion designing career. And I hold in my heart all those precious experiences and would not change anything even if I could. I respect life as it is, with its ups and downs. And I cherish my life and my experiences very much! I am very grateful that I was lucky enough to finally find my calling of becoming a fashion designer.
What is happening next in your life, both personally and professionally?
I’m finishing and publishing my books (I wrote five books in the last three years). So, I will officially become an author which was also one of my dreams when I was young. Besides continuing to plan out more fashion collections, I’ve also started my very own online fashion course. I want to help people to improve their lives through fashion. And will also start doing charity to help underprivileged families with their fashion and clothing needs.
Personally. I will continuously focus on self-development. I enjoy the process of discovering myself, connecting with my inner wisdom, and being surrounded by positive energy. Life is not just about business and other people; it is also about the relationship between you and yourself which will benefit you more than anything else ever could.
Spill some deets about your upcoming projects. And what should fans expect?
I am so excited to share the news that my first fashion book is coming out along with my fashion online course! In this book and course, I will talk about the secret behind fashion, the dos and don’ts of fashion, and how to make fashion work for you to achieve your dream life. Fashion could be a big benefit in one’s life if used well. And my life certainly is proof enough of that, so I want to share the secrets that I’ve learned throughout my journey and help more people grasp the essence of fashion and improve their lives through fashion.
