Out of Town: A Momentary Quiet Amid Urban Shanghai

In abandoned city lots, in contrast to urban patches of nature, Shanghai whisks you away for a momentary quiet.

Tucked away in the northeastern reaches of Shanghai, Chongming Island stands as a quiet sanctuary from the city’s relentless rhythm. Known for its wetlands, forests, and slow-paced rural life, Chongming offers a rare sense of calm, one that feels almost pre-apocalyptic against the sprawl of China’s largest metropolis. It is here, amid pockets of untamed greenery and semi-abandoned lots, where Out of Town was shot. This fashion story meditates on the intersection of sensuality, memory, and the evolving face of Chinese style.

Styled by Alexandre Dornellas and photographed by Als Sunxiaoran, the editorial unfolds like a photo diary, balancing the organic with the industrial, the intimate with the unfamiliar. The setting becomes both stage and character, overgrown grasses pushing through concrete, faded walls holding on to stories of the past, reflecting the tension between nostalgia and modern reinvention that defines much of China’s contemporary creative landscape.

Anchoring the narrative are designs from a new vanguard of Chinese talent, including SHUSHU/TONG, Samuel Guì Yang, Susan Fang, and Jacques Wei, who are reformulating the identity of Shanghai Fashion Week. Together, they form a contemporary dynasty that reimagines tradition through a distinctly Chinese perspective. Noble fabrics are contrasted with unexpected embellishments, and sharp tailoring is softened by playful layering. Each look contributes to a broader conversation where global sophistication meets deeply rooted cultural storytelling.

This interplay of garments and landscape becomes more than a visual escape; it becomes a reflection on what it means to be caught between places, generations, and ideas. Tradition and transformation do not collide here but coexist, delicately balanced in the hush of a forgotten lot, or in the sway of a skirt brushing against withered grass.

Photographs by ALS SUNXIAORAN. Styling by ALEXANDRE DORNELLAS. Styling and Creative Direction: Alexandre Dornellas. Makeup: Zhoe Zhang. Makeup Assistant: Panp. Hair: Henry. Hair Assistant: Yi. Fashion Production: Kaio Berguer. Executive Production: Millie Wong. Photography Assistants: Jhon Chen and Kay. Video Editor: Fflorencia. Retouch: Youfu. Model: Xiuli Jiang. Casting: Kopa. Introduction by Lawrence Alba.