LFW19: Simon Mo on the Inspiration Behind his SS20 Collection

Fashion Scout, the largest independent showcase for upcoming fashion talent brought their carefully curated selection of emerging fashion pioneers to London Fashion Week 2019. One of the featured designers was Taiwan-born Simon Mo, who showcased his latest SS20 collection.

What was your inspiration behind your SS20 collection?

“For this season, I read a book about the affects of light pollution, and how it effects everyones life. Not many people are aware of it. I wanted to create a collection that is showing that deep inside out hearts, if we were to go back to hundreds of years ago – what our lives would be like without electricity. To be a modern person, we of course need electricity every day. So I wanted to show this in an ironic way through this collection and idea. Which is why I called it Insomnia Parade.”

How do you approach the designing process?

“I draw. I draw a lot. I take lots of pictures. I listen to music. I find lots of ideas and inspiration through this. Especially for how the prints prints, looks and atmospheres will come about.”

Producing eco-friendly/green fashion is hugely important to you as a designer, how have you ensured to be environmentally friendly with this collection?

“For this collection, I tried to get lots of recycled print ideas. For three of the jackets I was working with a factory which only uses recycled yarns. Both as a designer, and personally, I am really concerned about the environment, so I never want to produce designs which would cause a lot of trouble to the environment. This is really important not just to keep me happy, but to create designs.“

What advice would you have given to aspiring fashion designers?

“First, you need to really find what interests you personally, and the most. Many people are focused on developed fabrics, or textures. Some people like to explore lots of periodical, or literary ideas; some, like to play with sculpture and/form. But it’s about finding what interests you – and working from there.”