Oscar Ouyang may have spent most of the last decade studying at Central Saint Martins in London, but his Chinese heritage is not lost on his knitwear designs.
Informed by a wide range of inspirations, from anime to the Greenham Common protests, Ouyang represents the future of innovative knitwear. Taking cues from nature, knitwear designer Oscar Ouyang blends his international roots to create eye-catching pieces. Ouyang was born in Beijing but moved to London seven years ago to study at Central Saint Martins. Although his Asian heritage varies from London street style, his work unites the two.
“I have an origin; I have a root. It’s something I reference when I’m doing my work,” said Ouyang. Knit patterns draw inspiration from Southeast Asian plants like alocasia and philodendron. His CSM MA collection was abundant in soul-calming greenery and leaf-like appliques. Asian animation– Studio Ghibli, for example–also influenced the designer.
After moving to London, fashion inspiration became ever-present for Ouyang. “You look at how everyone’s dressing around you. So that’s had a lot of impact on my work,” he said. What his friends and people wear on the streets all inform the Western cultural side of Ouyang’s designs. “It’s always a mixture of both,” he said.
Ouyang graduated from CSM‘s MA Fashion program in 2023, where he studied knitwear. Research for his final collection included anti-war demonstrations like the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift and the Greenham Common protesters, whose uniforms informed his designs. The groups’ peace efforts offered an anti-war approach to the collection, underscored by the Russia-Ukraine war and now the Israel-Palestine war.
The knitwear pathway of the MA Fashion course at CSM was a unique experience, with only three students in the program. “We all go to class together. We all share the same tutor. They treat us all the same,” said Ouyang. He describes CSM as a “huge bubble” for him, but a worthwhile seven years.
“A lot of things have been done already, but with knitwear, there’s still a lot of possibilities to be explored.”
He chose knitwear because of its freedom compared to working with fabrics. “A lot of things have been done already, but with knitwear, there’s still a lot of possibilities to be explored,” said Ouyang. The array of techniques and stitches in knitwear yield endless texture and shape potential. “You’re literally starting from the ground, and then it’s just way more possibilities,” he said.
Another advantage of knitwear is sustainability, which is crucial to Ouyang’s process. Although knitwear can be mass-produced, he prefers to work in-house with a machine. Like Ouyang’s work, knitwear embodies the slow fashion standard when the process emphasizes quality and longevity. He upcycled all the yarn for his last collection from donations of deadstock yarn.
For the collection he’s currently working on, he’s upcycling most of his material from kilo sales. “I found some really cute patterned shirts. Some of them are actually from designer brands like Paco Rebanne and Wranglers or Levis,” said Ouyang. He’s combining those with his knitwear. People can appreciate the diversity in materials and focus on slow fashion. “That’s the beauty of doing things in a small batch,” he said.
Ouyang acknowledged that fashion design is an “oversaturated market,” but that doesn’t excuse the waste problem. “There are so many fashion designers out there. Everyone believes they have a unique point of view. But it doesn’t mean you have to waste materials or energy.” At the end of the day, most clothes produced won’t be sold. “Upcycling is definitely the way to recycle or try to be more sustainable during your practice,” he said.
“I think it’s kind of a cliche story,” Ouyang said about how he got into designing. “As Asian kids, your parents introduce you to all the hobbies.” Painting and sports didn’t stick, but the fashion magazines and jackets his mom wore made an impact on him. By the age of 15, he was constantly sketching.
Ouyang has come a long way. “I’ve always been proud of what I’m doing,” he said. “Everything is baby steps–presenting in London Fashion Week, getting interviewed by magazines, working with stylists and photographers that I’ve always looked up to .”
“When you’re out of uni, you’re not just thinking about how to make clothes more creative. You’re thinking about how to set up a business.”
In terms of goals, Ouyang is focusing on learning how to properly set up a business. “When you’re out of uni, you’re not just thinking about how to make clothes more creative. You’re thinking about how to set up a business,” he said. “You can’t just keep on making clothes without thinking about what’s coming up.”
Since his CSM presentation at London Fashion Week in 2023, the young knitwear designer has been collecting inspiration for his next collection. Tartan, checks, and the Union Jack caught his eye. He describes the collection as more of an “emo boy vibe.” Ouyang made a name for himself with his graduate collection, and we’re all waiting to see how he’ll continue reinventing knitwear.
