One of the most unique winter fashion brands right now is Raxxy, a Chinese luxury label founded in 2020. The brand is dedicated to creating unique articles of clothing out of puffy quilts. While quilting has been practiced for centuries, Raxxy’s founder William Sheng created a new method of quilting for his fashion brand. Sheng developed this new quilting design by applying his passion for math to fashion design. He created a special mathematical formula for the perfect puffy quilt that could be altered for different articles of clothing.
Despite only being around for a few years, the originality of Raxxy’s products has separated it from many other fashion brands. The brand stays true to Sheng’s vision of clothing influenced by traditional Chinese designs. This commitment gained Raxxy the support of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism only one year after its founding. Along with the support of many celebrities, the brand’s presence has only increased. Thus, we were very lucky to speak with William Sheng about his fashion brand.
William Sheng, you started off as and still are a math champion, yet you came up with a formula to make the perfect quilts. How did that come about, what was the moment that started it all?
William Sheng – I’ve always been fascinated by two things: fashion and math. However, I ended up studying economics which I honestly found not so exciting. Indulging into my passions, I found a way to combine them. The main goal when I started was to deliver a new concept: fashion has always been two-dimensional. I wanted to deliver three-dimensional fashion. Applying math to fashion and combining them with my knowledge of the Chinese tradition, I developed high-tech quilting techniques that evoke the traditional artisanal techniques of my country of origin
Quilting is seen as an activity for older people, it isn’t typically associated with a fresh new style. Has Raxxy found this perception to be a popular belief held by the public, and was it difficult to break through this?
William Sheng – I think the design of Raxxy items is so fresh and innovative. In addition, we huge interest in younger generations towards craftsmanship and everything artisanal. I think final consumers are truly re-discovering the value of high-end quality.
In all honesty it’s amazing that Raxxy was able to combine two things that the public is generally not interested in: math and quilting, but gave a new twist to it. What special quality would you say the brand has that makes it so exciting?
William Sheng – I think that people are mainly attracted [to] novelties. Raxxy offers something new that was not available before in the market. The mix of technology and artisanal craftsmanship defining our [business] proposal makes the brand stand out from the crowd. When I started the company, I thought there was a gap in the market… puffers tend to look all the same. Raxxy ones are unique, immediately recognizable. That’s our greatest strength.
Raxxy releases many colorful clothing items with different quilting patterns? Do all the items released from the brand use the same formula, or does it change per design?
William Sheng – Everything starts from the idea of delivering 3D fashion. However, there is a huge human-made component. Every quilting requires a lot of study and experimentation. Everything feels so high-tech but there is a lot of artisanal craftsmanship behind this project.
The quilting materials naturally puff up the clothing items the brand creates, does this make it difficult to make them? How long does it take to create an item of clothing?
William Sheng – The process is quite complicated and intricate, [it is very] time consuming. We carefully select the materials we use to be resistant, yet lightweight and comfortable.
Raxxy is supported by the Chinese ministry of culture and tourism. What does it mean to be held to this level, and what must the brand do to stay at this caliber?
William Sheng – It’s a huge honor and one of the reasons why we work so hard… We are proud to represent Chinese creativity and craftsmanship around the world.
The label was founded in China but is now managed in Italy. How did this partnership come about, and how do these two cultures impact the work that is released from the brand?
William Sheng – Design and production are still 100% managed in China. We have a state-of-the-art factory that is fully able to support our requests. Starting from the Fall/Winter 2024 collection, we inaugurated a collaboration with our Italian partner, the N1 company, that manages our distribution and communication activities across Europe. Together we are developing a strategy to grow the brand in the market, especially thanks to N1’s expertise, also from a merchandising perspective.
Despite Raxxy being a very young label, 4 years currently, it has had much support from celebrities, and the art and fashion world. Has this support helped the brand grow in presence?
William Sheng – Absolutely yes. The word of mouth is quite incredible. Every week we organically receive many requests from stylists keen to dress especially musicians in our pieces. I think that Raxxy is perfect to steal the spotlight on the stage, even if our biggest ambition is to have more and more people wearing Raxxy in the street.
