Li-Ning explores Chinese pop culture in the FW21 collection

The case of Li-Ning, the Chinese cult brand founded in 1990 by the eponymous Olympic athlete originally from Liuzhou, is a perfect example of a transition from sportswear to fashion. In native China, Li-Ning is a gigantic brand, a worthy rival of Nike and adidas, but that compared to its competitors has managed to create an interesting variety of creative outlets for its production. For some years now, in fact, the brand has made its debut in fashion, producing very interesting collections, in some ways, closer to a certain avant-garde fashion than to run-of-the-mill sportswear. This is even more true for the brand's latest FW21 collection, which was shown a few days ago during the Shanghai Fashion Week. 

The collection, entitled Model, Remodel was inspired by the conservation and restoration techniques typical of the art world to re-imagine references to traditional Chinese costumes, pop culture and the multiple artistic movements of the last fifty years. This whirlwind of cultural references comes into contact with the streetwear soul of Li-Ning, with Chinese mythology and with the classic elements of Western design to create a collage of entirely new elements, the components of which enter into dialogue with each other. 

This creative mosaicism is immediately evident in the fusion of multiple fabrics through irregular seams, in the asymmetry of panels and hems but also in deconstructed finishes such as exposed seams or single needle embroidery that mimic handmade repairs of clothes. On both the men's and women's sides of the collection, the colour palette is high contrast, with more looks articulated only in black and white, and others incorporating shades of light green, beige and red. 

Another highlight of Li-Ning is footwear. Born from the Titan series, inspired by the outdoor world, the new Titan Boot is one of the most interesting proposals of the season and introduces an imaginative concept of "shoe within a shoe" design. Its leather tops contrast with an Intersolar composed of Li-Ning's advanced BOOM cushioning technology. Another proposal is the 001 Mature, a bold update of the brand's first sneaker, the 001, born in 1991. The new 001 Mature features a mosaic upper with multiple fabrics and archive branding. Other models presented in the show are the new hi-top iteration of the Wind Ranger silhouette, which is a running shoe, and the Super Light Ace, which is instead an archive model with a retro flavour.