Machine learning might still lack creative chutzpah, but it gave Zhou a clear road map toward his sci-fi world-building. The result was a dystopian tale comprising manga superhero characters, a sense of “Clockwork Orange” eeriness, and a touch of futuristic Shanghai.
A few years ago, as an established menswear label, the 41-year-old Zhou acutely felt a need to come up with a proposition that could inject new energy into the local menswear market. He landed on the idea of “humanoid-wear” and took a positive stance on what it could mean for humanity. The shift to a more science fiction narrative first came about during his spring 2018 collection, when Zhou devised the concept of a “Supernatural, Extraterrestrial & Co.” Since then, Zhou has been coming up with characters, including the oriental master, the mad scientist, and the cyborg businessman.‘s EPO group came knocking to work with the designer, which helped the company gain commercial success and mass market recognition.