CHENPENG was founded in London in 2015, but the Chinese designer Peng Chen chose to look to the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas, home to Mt. Everest, for his latest collection. In Sanskrit, “Hima Laya” means “snowy land, the home of snow,” and Peng’s looks were inspired by icy polar colors, the region’s flora and fauna, and the brave climbers that scale the mountain’s peak.
This season, Peng’s designs featured innovative outerwear looks, featuring state-of-the art down technology, that seem to be as suitable for an icy cold front as they are for your next walk on the moon. The designer’s one-size fashion was interpreted in windproof, waterproof, reflective, and seamless materials that are functional in the extreme. Youthful models, with windblown hair and rosy cheeks, wore the pieces down the runway at Chelsea Piers on Friday afternoon. The all-white first look was brightened with a neon yellow oversized down scarf, in the shape of two meeting hands — imagery seen throughout the Autumn/Winter 19 collection — and each jacket had incredibly detailed piecing work. There were full-body snowsuits in soft pastels, sequined puffers, pink faux-fur headwear, what looked like a really chic down blanket, and a particularly fabulous pair of metallic down coveralls. While we certainly won’t be climbing Everest any time soon, Peng’s bold designs inspire confidence that it’s not totally out of the question.
