Yun Qu is fashion designer and founder of Videmus Omnia, an artisan fashion brand based in New York City. Founded in 2016, Videmus Omnia represents one of the up-and-coming independent fashion brands. The New York based brand focuses on creating innovative, unconventional fashion while taking cues from modern art and music pioneers. The brand aims to design timeless wearable art garments with deconstructed silhouettes, infused with luxurious and intricate textiles.
The designer cares about the innovation of the design, the quality of tailoring and the interaction with the customers, as well has a different approach to fashion. She studied music at a young age and formed a rock band when she was in high school. She lived in China and Italy before she moves to New York. Because of her experience and background, she gradually developed a unique style.
33 MAGAZINE is totally in love with Yun’s vision and had an exclusive interview with the designer, but before let’s reveal few highlights from her Spring/Summer 2019 collection.
VIDEMUS OMNIA SPRING/SUMMER 2019 – MISDIRECTION
Yun Qu revealed her second collection “Misdirection” for Spring/Summer 2019. The collection shows much about the personality of Videmus Omnia. It is bold, dramatic, expres- sive and innovative. Yun has a strong music background, she used to sing and play piano in a rock band. Her love for music inspired her style. Yun believes that the relationship between music and fashion is becoming inter-twined. She dedicated to using fashion as a tangible art form to “write” music.
Misdirection is an experimental collection. The designer merges British Punk culture and Punk music as well as the famous Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama into the whole collection. The collection consists of fifteen looks, inspired by the punk music’s inner emotions and attitude, Yun contributes a conveyance of her spiritual and emotional state into the collection. She uses sophisticated materials, with a dramatic change of theme and colors to present the audience its unusual styles and brand’s atti- tude. She saturates the collection with ruffles, polka dots and odd constructions, which were influenced by Yayoi Kusama’s masterpieces to adjust Yun’s artistic expression.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH YUN QU, DESIGNER AND FOUNDER OF VIDEMUS OMNIA
33 MAGAZINE: Describe your brand in five words.
Music, Surrealistic, Intricate, Romantic, Mysterious.
33 MAGAZINE: Why did you decide to become a fashion designer?
I studied music since I was five years old, I wanted to be a musician and music producer when I was younger. However, I also love to dress unique and artistic. I thought it was a good idea to learn how to make clothes since I love to dress myself. I decided to go to Fashion Institute Of Technology to study Fashion Design. I also got the chance from FIT to go to Italy (Milan and Florence) for two years as an exchange student to study Fashion.
The life in Italy and the travel experience in Europe had really changed my opinion towards art, music, and fashion. I noticed that the Italian people love arts and they dress to express themselves especially the older fashionable ladies who wear luxurious fur and textiles. I was so inspired by the way people dress in Italy. I decided to become a fashion designer and have my own brand that is inspired by art and music.
33 MAGAZINE: How your brand’s mission evolved starting with your first collection?
My brand was founded around end of 2016. The brand’s name Videmus Omnia came from Latin, it means we see everything. The name was inspired by the mystery stories and drama I was watching at that time, and my purpose of choosing this name is to let people curious about what this brand will bring next because of the mysterious name, as well as collaborating with talents around the world including musicians, artists, scientists and engineers to create what people will be wearing in the future.
Videmus Omnia The brand aims to design timeless wearable art garments with deconstructed silhouettes, infused with luxurious and intricate textiles. Videmus Omnia breaks with traditional garment construction exploring new ways to dress people. The brand mainly offers made to order and one of a kind pieces. By doing so, it gives the customers exclusivity as well as lower the material wastes. The brand won’t use real fur and real leather.
33 MAGAZINE: In your experience, what are some of the other negative points regarding fashion design schools?
I started my own brand right after graduating from fashion school. When I just started, I realized that I only had the skill to design and finish collections. I didn’t have any knowledge about how to start an actual business or how to promote the brand. I had to go back to business school to study how to run a company.
From my experience, the fashion design schools barely teach students how to start their own business or educate them about marketing skills. Most schools only want the students to be able to find a job after they graduate rather than encourage them to start their own business.
33 MAGAZINE: How sustainability can change fashion industry? Do you think we can see, in the next future, a positive change regarding sustainable design?
More and more designers care about sustainability these days. Not just because of their own tastes but also we are influenced by customers as well. The customers today care about not just quality and value of the products, but also where the materials come from and who made it under what conditions. Because of all these changes, the fashion industry will go through a really big change in the future. The pollution around the world alarmed us that we as designers need to do something to help.
We can see a positive change in the future regarding sustainable designs. Designers started to use less harmful materials, recycled materials as well as materials that’s made from bacteria, green tea, sugar and yeast.
33 MAGAZINE: In your opinion, will it be the consumer who will facilitate the change in the supply chain or will it be the design and manufacturing industry?
It used to be the design and manufacturing industry, however, the consumer will be the one that facilitate change in the supply chain.
33 MAGAZINE: What should a customer expect when buying your brand? What drives your inspiration for your design?
I use mostly natural materials including silk and cotton. It is less harmful for the body and brings comfort to the customers as well. My brand only offer made to order or one of a kind Haute Couture for now to make sure each pieces are made in the highest quality as well as offering the unique artisan pieces to the customers.
33 MAGAZINE: What was the biggest challenge for you as a designer?
Funding and changes towards the retailers. It is very hard to start a brand these days. More and more young designers started their own brands. To start a brand, we need huge amount of money just to start. The retailers today doesn’t really buy from designers anymore. Most of them requires the young brands to pay monthly retainers and also take out commission fees from each pieces that sell. It is a way to close the door to the talented designers who doesn’t have enough money of investors to start their own business.
33 MAGAZINE: Would you like to showcase your collection in one of the most important fashion weeks around the world?
Yes indeed. I’ve shown my collection during New York Fashion Week for three times. I will showcase my collection during the up and coming Paris Fashion Week as well and I’m very excited for that.
33 MAGAZINE: What we should expect next from you?
I try to break the stereotypical method of developing a collection. Different from other young designer’s brand, I don’t follow a commercial or classic route. I design for the women who genuinely want to dress unique and artistic, but also care about the quality and tailoring of the garments. Videmus Omnia’s mission statement is to change and reshape the way the fashion industry does by collaborating with musicians, artists, engineers and scientists.
NYFW RUNWAY HIGHLIGHTS VIDEMUS OMNIA SPRING/SUMMER 2019 – MISDIRECTION
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