For this seventh volume of Quality in Life, we have had the chance to learn more about our good friend Izzy Du and her journey to becoming one of the most talented and innovative fashion designers in the industry. Currently, she has showcased three of her own collections since her graduation from the Antwerp Royal Academy Fashion Department in 2021 and has blown us away each time. Izzy’s approach to design is noted as based on light and form in relation to her garments and atmospheric rhythms as she draws her inspiration from elements such as the sky and sunsets. This is easily seen through both the creative use of abstract colours and design elements she has featured in all her collections.
Her work has not only impressed us greatly, but also a number of other notable mediums that have proudly showcased her work such as Vogue Italia, the Love Magazine, Highsnobiety, Schön! Magazine, Regenerative Futures and more.
Looking to start her own brand soon, Izzy is working hard to design and create new garments that can be appreciated on a global scale. Her determination and drive to innovate with her own creations and continue to bring excitement to the wearer are what sets her apart from the rest. This is also why we were so excited to have her as a part of this article series and share her story as well as what’s to come.
As we learned more about Izzy’s story, we were increasingly motivated to push forward ourselves and continue to do our best when imagining new collections.
Her interest in fashion began in her early years as she grew up in Vancouver. For most of her childhood, Izzy wore a school uniform and was always interested in seeing how people dress outside of their ‘imposed uniform’. She says that, in life, everybody wears a uniform; the one that they wear to identify their role in society and the other that they choose for themselves that continuously changes with their identity.
After high school, Izzy went on to complete her foundation at Central Saint Martins and graduated from the Antwerp Royal Academy Fashion Department which are two of the top undergraduate fashion schools in the world. Although, the completion of her degree did not come without some obstacles. She says that there were challenges both personal and professional during her time in school that impacted her work. For instance, there were often times when she would only sleep for three hours between days so she could finish a collection in time for a deadline.
After doing this for a number of years and feeling the effects of doing so, Izzy says that she considers health and well-being to be one of the biggest assets one can have. Having now released three of her collections to the world, she is looking to both establish her own brand and bring it to the global stage.
What she hopes to achieve in the future is to have a brand that ‘elevates taste and brings excitement to the wearer… one that will eventually encompass not only clothing but all aspects of design’. Additionally, she hopes her work will incite some form of strong emotional response and add something beautiful to the world. Izzy notes that she is now more sure than ever of the style, concepts, and brand she wishes to create. As such, we could not be more excited to see what’s in store.
The concepts of Quality and Community are seen in both Izzy’s design elements and her work in general.
For her, quality is expressed both tangibly and intangibly. She says it is tangible through materials, construction, fit and quality and intangibly through the concept, idea, and authenticity. In her work, quality has to be there and is unquestionably the most important element of it. She is not afraid to experiment and create garments that at first glance express quality.
In her latest collection she has made use of playing with light and utilizing depth attributes of large and defined shapes, 3M reflective fabric, prints of blended colour fades, and battery-powered LED lights placed underneath the fabric. The use of these elements has made her newest collection one for the books and continues the essence of quality that has been the foundation of her work since she began to study fashion and design.
When community is discussed, Izzy says that it is composed of the people you work with and the people she hopes her work will bring together. The fashion community is ‘extensive yet intimate’ where there are many talented and hard-working people that she says she is excited to get to know more and for the possibilities of collaborations. As such, she hopes to create a tight community of people who wear the garments she creates and relate it to the concept of her brand.
The community she wishes to establish is deeper than surface level. It is about creating meaningful connections to the point where two strangers both wearing Izzy Du would stop each other on a busy street and have a conversation because they recognize another person who is a part of that community. Whether it is within the fashion community or the community that Izzy aims to foster, this concept is deeply embedded in her work and is exactly why Koterie is so glad to be a part of her journey.
Mentioned earlier, Izzy is now looking to create her own brand that she hopes to elevate to the global stage. Whether it is now at the inception of her brand or when she is recognized globally, we are excited to see what she has in store and how she will continue to innovate in an industry that has so many other people trying to strive for greatness.
We hope we were able to pique your interest with this new volume and have introduced to you someone who you look forward to seeing become one of the top global fashion designers in the near future.