On the occasion of Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2027,
SARAWONG unveils Praise of Shadow, a collection that turns away
from the impulse to banish darkness and instead builds a sanctuary
within it. Shadow is no longer just a motif of Eastern serenity; it becomes
a manifesto bridging East and West, a declaration that a radiant life is
never untouched by darkness, but flourishes because of it.
The inspiration lies in shadow as a source of depth rather than absence,
as in Baroque court painting, where a dark ground intensifies gold and
silk, or in Eastern lacquerware, where a black base makes inlaid gold
gleam. The collection unfolds across three registers: shadow as backdrop,
shadow as the site where drama arises, and shadow as a medal of
courage, proof that vulnerability becomes strength.
The palette is theatrical and rich: deep, dark green, the shadowy blue of a midnight garden, moss green and jet black, lit by gilded gold, kintsugi-
inspired seams, and accents of cobalt blue, brilliance made legible through contrast.
Materials stage a dialogue between opposites: deep-dyed prints and
layered indigo dyeing carry the calm breath of time, while lustrous,
fluid silk and triacetate with a clean, fluid drape meet structured taffeta,
jacquard brocade, vintage lace, and metallic weaves, creating dazzling
courtly splendor. Grand silhouettes are softened with shadow-hued tulle;
fluid Eastern robes are marked with cracked gold embroidery. Frayed
edges sit beside sparkling crystal, roses blooming among ruins.
Silhouettes balance Eastern flow and Western structure, the ease of Taoist robes meeting the architecture of corsetry, relaxed yet monumental. Cut-outs, unfinished edges and asymmetrical draping run through sumptuous forms. Cracks, thorns and chains reappear as ornate brooches and gemstone medals. Antique lace, soft as skin, and aristocratic embroidered fabrics evoke vines and floral shadows through openwork and beading, taking the romance embedded in every detail to its fullest expression.
“This season we set aside the idea of understated shadow.” says creative
director Sara Wong. “What we offer is an ode to magnificent shadows,
where Eastern artistic depth collides with the drama of court aesthetics.”
With Praise of Shadow, SARAWONG evokes a grand hall at dusk: candlelit, dangerous, alluring, a tribute to life’s complexity and a manifesto of romance that blooms in the dark.
