Kiki Wang
Kiki Wang received her bachelor’s degree in finance from Renmin University, one of the top universities in China. After graduation, she went to the University of Arkansas and the University of California, USA, to further her studies. She excelled not only in her major research but also in painting, her passion. “I drew a lot of ancient Chinese women in beautiful outfits and hairstyles. I think I started designing since then,” Kiki Wang started her story.
“I design with my heart. I like to mix and match different fashion styles as well. Classic yet edgy, eastern yet western, modern but old-fashioned, and so on. I try to find harmony in all styles and colors.”
Although Wang is known for her couture designs, she has a ready-to-wear line known as “Tai Du Hong Ping” and “Sweet Baby,” a line for kids.
Wang uses fashion to express her love for this world, “My slogan is Where Runway meets Real Way. I design for people, not just for fashion.”
Many people, among them celebrities, are in love with her designs. “It is my honor to work with so many beautiful and famous women from different countries,” Wang said. For example, she has dressed the Princess of Germany, Her Highness Doctor Princess Gertraud-Antonia zu Schaumburg-Lippe, for her appearance in a charity and royal family event. Actress and producer Yvette Yates Redick wore her designs for the Oscars, the Golden Globe, MTV, and Emmys. Oscar-winning movie Black Panther actress Carrie Burnus chose her dress for the Oscar event and the Hollywood fashion awards show, where she won the prize. And many more.
American model Tammie Starr said that Wang’s design fitted her like a glove, “like Cinderella meets her glass slippers.” Didi Jackson, the British rock star, described her designs as bold, unexpected, and dramatic. Being the favorite designer of many celebrities, Wang has seen people cry tears of joy wearing her designs. However, she is humble, “I do appreciate them very much from the bottom of my heart.”
Kiki Wang was invited to present an all-red fashion collection on the X-shaped stage of the Global Super Model Contest 2019 finale, held at the Shenzhen BaoAn football stadium. To dress 300 Chinese and international models, it took her a few months to prepare 300 one-of-a-kind red gowns. She laughed, “We were working day in and day out. We shipped more than 50 boxes of gowns to the show. It was like a war, but a very happy war indeed!”
It isn’t easy to list all of Wang’s achievements. But, to sum it up, Kiki Wang was awarded Costume Designer of the Year 2019 in Hollywood for her creativity.
Light sparked in her eyes when she said at the end of the conversation, “I always focus on solutions instead of problems. Counting one small win after another, I think it is important to encourage yourself after every little win. it helps you remember the good things and forget the bad parts.” Wang is planning her first fashion empowerment book, “I want to help people learn to use fashion to improve their lives.”
*** Team Credit ***
Photographer: Arezoo Jalali
Model: Mahlagha Jaberi
Designer: Kiki Wang
Hair: Riri Roya
Makeup: Kseniya Bernkhardt
Floral/Set Designer: Flowers by Sabour
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
