Hengdi Wang Presents ‘Exogenesis’ at LFW SS26

Eponymous brand Hengdi Wang presented a masterful collection of futuristic garments for its debut fashion show at London Fashion Week SS26, entitled “Exogenesis”. The collection is built upon traditional Chinese embroidery and dyeing craftsmanship as haute couture becomes a reflecting pool of innovation.

Where souls and flesh meet. We are torn between having and wanting, knowing but never quite close enough. Rhinestones winked, exoskeleton-like accessories caged and expanded – as the packed venue heaved with anticipation. Jaws dropped as gasps settled over audience members with each successive look. Vulnerability becomes a safety net. Furthering the notion that authenticity is the most unassuming, if also the strongest weapon in one’s arsenal.

The designer draws inspiration from Eastern mythologies as they present alongside wearable ornaments. Fantastical materials become more than aesthetic addition, and rather protection against the unknown. Our physical bodies settled amongst depictions of spiritual consciousness, as mystery and smoke filled the venue in equal parts. Dispersed by undulating light fixtures, the mechanics moved as if they were breathing themselves. Unexpected silhouettes stretched proportions and expectations, presenting new avenues to understand the self as it reflected off the other.

At Unlocked Shoreditch, disintegrating details of human experience became buffered against otherworldly forms. All which tell us more about where we are going, than where we’ve been. The models occasionally shot looks into the audience. Signalling that they knew something we didn’t, yet we adored each look all the same. Details included Exoskeletal chitin and segmented armor. Glittering, iridescent scales were on display, crafted by advanced 3D printing.

Futuristic proclivities collided with fantasy, and what we witnessed was a master class in attention to detail. This story was solidified by the influence of 3D-printed textiles and metals which were inscribed with sacred geometry. Within the works, viewers become witness to NASA celestial imagery which is incorporated as a part of a wider “Mechanical Oracle Script”. This hybrid visual language assisted in the collection’s metaphysical value

Garments fluttered, paraded, and expertly clicked together with pointed toes and sharpened talons slowly skulking down the runway. This collection incorporated varied materials and unexpected patterning – creating further ways to engage with its meaning, post-catwalk. This is a show that will have guests in awe for many weeks, if not months to come. As we find ourselves already wondering what this designer’s next move will be, we can guess it will be nothing shy of spectacular.