September 6, 2025 Yueqi Qi recently displayed her Spring 2026 collection, “Equinox.” The models appeared to float across the old-fashioned Tokyo dance hall, emerging from the darkness at the foot of an imposing spiral staircase. The cold spotlight intensified the otherworldly colors and the motion of Qi’s garments.
Qi is a new wave designer whose style is nearly impossible to define. She masterfully blends luxury women’s wear and retro-futurism with her intricate beadwork, distinctive silhouettes, and unique materials that nod to the alien-esque appearance of analog technology in clothing. Despite many Western designers trying to place her in the box of “Chinese designer,” Qi refuses to define herself by this restrictive label.
“My focus is on storytelling. For as long as I am Chinese, my work will have Chinese elements, but it has never been a conscious choice for me,” she says. “I see it as a byproduct of telling stories which are rooted in personal experience.”
The Story of “Equinox”
Qi’s runways are known for having a story; it may be subtle and difficult to grasp, but it’s always present. In “Equinox,” we catch faint hints of a narrative: some models strut forward with sections of their hair poised upward like devil horns, and there is a consistent incorporation of lace that clashes with garish streetwear garments like jerseys and cargo pants. In an interview with Tatler writer Cherry Mui, Qi tries her best to explain to us mere mortals why she creates such visually fascinating ensembles.
“Couture pieces reflect who you really are. We are able to sacrifice functionality in order to demonstrate skill and push the boundaries of our medium,” she said. “Couture is art.”
This collection merges a 19th-century use of lace (on collars, skirts, socks, etc.) with inarguably contemporary pieces (jeans, crop tops, jerseys, etc.). This highlights a possible interpretation of this runway as a merging of what fashion was and what it is going to be. We may think that our culture is too fast-paced to focus on dressing in intricate garments with chokers, stockings, and brooches, but this collection seems to argue that a combination of the antiquated and the casual is the future of fashion.
Thomas Lamb’s off-putting, extraterrestrial-like music as a soundtrack to this runway highlighted the sci-fi-esque atmosphere. This aspect of the collection was brought forth by Jewel Y’s almost bug-like makeup work; the faces of the models were painted with unnatural colors and thick, sparsely placed eyelashes.
Story-wise, Qi made the runway purposely vague with no press releases or interviews. However, we can clearly observe her playing with the idea of light versus dark, good versus evil, and modern versus coquette. One model wears a striking black crown (made of upcycled materials, of course), another wears a large pair of intricate white wings, and there are also the previously mentioned hair-sprayed devil-horns: are these mythical figures? A religious allegory? A social commentary? The possibilities are endless and irresistible to decipher.
Still, it is undeniable that Qi has created a think-piece of a runway. It is impossible to watch the eerie stares and stiff struts of the otherworldly models and not conjure countless questions.
The Meaning behind Materials
“Equinox” is a masterfully curated melting pot of different aesthetics, and somehow, they all work. A central aspect of this collection that creates this confusing yet cohesive effect is the mix of fabrics. Qi does not believe in the idea of clashing fabrics or patterns; because of this insistence on being cutting-edge, she has been able to create such groundbreaking garments.
The center of this collection appears to be lace: coquette, kitschy, classy, distracting, dated, and intricate. Lace has emerged in both designer and consumer fashion since the counter-minimalist trend surfaced around 2020. A fabric that was once viewed as the definition of opulence is now being stitched onto tote bags and tied into shoelaces.
However, Qi does not stick to just a few different uses of lace. She created subtle lace legwarmers, sewed lace detailing onto pockets, designed lace gloves, decorated lace bags, tied lace as necklaces, and screen-printed black, enlarged lace designs onto other fabrics in the collection.
Lace embodies class and wealth, so to have it paired with contemporary streetwear has led to an interesting juxtaposition. Qi is able to make this clash visually appealing by keeping a consistent color palette for each of her models. This is why looking at a model wearing a sports jersey, black lace, a pinstripe brooch, a corset, and a ruffled mini skirt doesn’t lead the viewer to assume that same model just emerged from a dumpster moments prior.
The inclusion of iconic streetwear elements also alludes to the possible ethos of this collection: a combination of the old and the new; of inaccessibility and accessibility.
Yueqi Qi’s “Equinox” transcends traditional fashion boundaries by inviting viewers into a narrative so complex, even they don’t understand. She continues to showcase her ability to merge the past with the present, challenging the fashion industry at large to rethink conceptions of luxury and functionality. However, most importantly, she remained true to herself as an artist: someone who experiments, breaks the norms, creates with precision, and showcases with mystery.
Edited by Hannah Neuman
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