Founded in honesty with one-self, studio SHEK LEUNG returns to its roots in Asia. In the Third Act, Leung plays with the sighs and sobs of turbulent times, seeking to contain loud, poignant emotions exuded with innovative materials and techniques. Following the theatrical climax of ACT II: A BREATH OF FRESH NOISE, where a ruptured wound was made, the latest heavy-laden, sorrowful collection unravels itself. Beguiling textures of greater firmness are revealed in the quiet. Each AW23 piece originates from empathic interactions with formerly ‘struck’ audiences - many of which are familiar with unease generated by bolts of lightning, who are seeking to be consoled throughout a season of instability.

In the aftermath of a storm, the unapologetic muse who resembles a tired, lonely man walks out of a dark island surrounded by wrinkly tissue-like absorbents. He allows the residual sparks (in the form of grains) from the prior poor weather to rest on him. He prepares to recharge and hopes to flourish in lieu of feeling pierced, as exposed in the showpiece. He whispers adieu with fondness, as he seeks to pull himself together. But he yearns to be caressed and loved. He makes a choice to cease to dwell in derelict, and tries to head towards an undefined destination.


Troubled by the particle-filled squalls, the lonely man who forms the muse appears to be unafraid to admit his difficulty to relax, and is stiffened like Leung’s new line of garments, calling for attention with its showpieces. Through translucent cotton voile, a film-like façade is depicted both vulnerably and sensually, starkly contrasting with the conventional tendency to conceal shameful states. Dressing up acts as a form of play, demonstrating sensitive states need not be veiled at all times, and can even be flaunted in slits. When courage is mustered up, and volume of emotions re-attuned, final tears are shed. No longer drenched, the wearer can arise to face chaotic sensations. Amidst distress, occasional progress is anticipated when one marches on.

‘Tears - you can only generate so much of it. You either replenish and keep the tap running, then drown in them, or you let it drain, evaporate and walk on stylishly. I believe intentionally choosing the latter embodies tender masculinity.

What better way to treat these conquerors, than to adorn them with effortless composure? Our studio does this with pleasure.’

There’s no denying that new ripples from tough realities may approach. Rather, repercussions of the unforeseen grains appear at an expanded scale, such as on the beaded bags. 

Adjustments to signature staples, new frames and frays, is much like when a daring one repositions to mimic the disorienting vortex flotations of challenging times. Styling oneself is an act of self-maintenance, as a unique protective intervention, empowering one to make a statement in bewildering occasions. Messes are to be owned up to, repeatedly and iteratively in understated gentility.

Twisted frames woven into fashion pieces namely gloves, socks and scarfs mirror the newly adapted outcomes, where joy is unexpectedly experienced. Leung’s Trapezium Framed Coat lightly outline the wearer’s body with pin tucks, not only conjuring a crisply enhanced silhouette, but also introduces a twist to one’s wardrobe. Additionally, collaborations with Polish designer, Body Holes for its millinery and Antwerp-based Studio 777 for its fine bristle jewellery, completes the scenic art of the film which the muse finds himself starred in.

The cinematic studio pays heed to the details of all garments. For instance, unexpected headways that make one feel hugged are represented by tapered woolly structures. This feature assures comfort, prompting a celebration of small wins in-between, as resilience is built upon distressed traverses across liminal states (uncertain, transitory life phases). In solitude, lies moments of self-compassion, enabling one’s ‘ruptured wounds’ to be reconciled. In hopes of providing good strides for all, every speciality shirt is carefully hand-stapled - displaying attentive care and emphasis on maintenance amongst piercing winds.

Leung draws from his strengths as he deploys his self-made fabrics with cover-stitch mastery (which are traditionally used for garment finishings) and advancing his hand-drawn multimedia grains (digital printing and puff-binding) on knitwear, illustrating layers of ambiguity in unstable times. Meanwhile, he remains open to introducing an occasional tinge of colour as well as fashionable ornaments. The orchid is a species that was featured as a silverware accessory and one of the showpieces due to its notorious hard-to-care-for nature, mirroring the universal humanistic need to be loved.

It is noticeable that Leung undertook thoughtful experimentation, since he toys with negative spaces, generating hollow frames. This again, sheds light on pivotal instances of introspection, forming a cohesive development of the sorrowful story.


Discover SHEK LEUNG’s AW23 collection in Paris Fashion Week, January 2023. Expect a sombre speckled spectacle.