Chinese fashion darling Angel Chen has made a huge splash on the global scene – and the burgeoning designer continues to shine

"I'm a casual person and an independent personality. And I'm bold. The brand represents me. Many girls around me are both beautiful on the outside and independent inside. They can do amazing things – small bodies with great power"

Acclaimed Chinese fashion designer Angel Chen is distinguished by her colourful approach to style and her aesthetic sensibility that combines East and West. The Shenzhen native graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2014; her placement year included internships with Vera Wang, Marchesa and Alexander Wang in New York. Following her graduate collection, I-D magazine singled her out as one of five designers to watch; Chen debuted her own brand a year later. Part of a new wave of Chinese design talent, she has shown at Milan, London and Shanghai Fashion Weeks, and is stocked at Lane Crawford, Luisa Via Roma and other top international retailers. Now based in Shanghai, she recently took time out of her busy schedule for a candid chat with CDLP.