Kim Shui’s fall 2024 collection was all about renewal in honor of 2024 marking the year of the dragon, one of the Chinese zodiac’s most coveted signs, with births spiking every 12 years among citizens who deem the mythical creature to be a symbol of power and good luck, traits that Shui wanted her collection to represent. “The funny thing about the dragon is that out of the 12 zodiac animals, it’s the only one that is mythical,” she said. “And I wanted the [Kim Shui] women to embody that mother dragon energy.” Shui took that both figuratively and literally, using lucky colors like red and green throughout her collection and creating furry oversized trapper hats reminiscent of the dragon costumes that are worn during the Lunar New Year. Elsewhere there were nods to her earlier collections, like the black cap-sleeved dragon dress that made its rounds on the internet following the fall 2022 show, but now in sleeveless options. The only difference between the two is that Shui now has options for her customer base who matured with her.
In perhaps a strategic business move, we saw an exploration of the designer creating pieces unfamiliar to the world of Kim Shui. Essentials like bodysuits that doubled as blouses when styled with bottoms, a new range of outerwear meant for the cold weather, and leather bags were a few of the items customers can add to their collections. With Shui’s pieces being on the more accessible side of luxury fashion and her loyal allegiance to fans, perhaps Kim Shui can become a household fashion name.
