ONE TO WATCH: Zhongzhi Ding

Ding burst onto the scene in London Fashion Week in February 2023, when his MA menswear graduate collection entitled Male Enhancement sparked major excitement. A celebration of masculinity mixed with utility for both cis and trans men, it saw sweat-stained models strutting down the catwalk dressed as cowboys with sodden armpits and chests, complete with exaggerated curves and silhouettes. The collection is about creating garments that accentuate masculinity for the men or trans gendered who wear them. The objective here is to identify indicators of homoeroticism as a vehicle for design adopting characteristics of hyper masculine archetypes. 

Size, bulk, length and girth are developed as prosthetic inserted to pocket construction on the chest, shoulder, and crotch. Details in form such as the nipple, shaft and glans are accentuated by the tension and cut of the cloth.

“I tried to bring Tom of Finland’s oversized penis and super slim-fit leather trousers to the real world.”

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“A strong libido may have taken control of my brain” says Ding as he explains the inspiration behind the collection. “I’d like to create a series of male characters that are related to old photos from the 70s and 80s of the last century. Like body artist Peter Berlin with attractive bodies and huge penises, I wanted to create and reconstruct these male figures in contemporary times. I was deeply influenced by Tom of Finland and Robert Mapplethorpe”.


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