Inside Shushu/Tong’s sweet fashion bomb with founders Liushu Lei and Yutong Jiang: the Shanghai-based brand is loved by Marvel’s Gemma Chan and supermodel Ju Xiao Wen for its young, feminine power
- Chengdu-born Lei and Jiang first met at Shanghai’s Donghua University in 2009, then studied at London College of Fashion and worked for Simone Rocha and Gareth Pugh, respectively
- After their plans to launch in London didn’t work out, the duo set up shop in Shanghai and found success with designs inspired by Japanese anime heroines – today, Ssense and Net-a-Porter are stockists
For Chengdu-born design duo Liushu Lei and Yutong Jiang, every garment aims to channel young, feminine power.
The 32-year-old Liushu Lei – or Shu Shu – is often photographed in short black hair, subtle jumpers and a pair of black-rimmed spectacles. It’s difficult to imagine that this demure wardrobe belongs to the co-mastermind of Shushu/Tong, a Shanghainese fashion brand known for a saccharine explosion of lace, ruffles and bows on cotton-candied Lolita-like outfits.
Here’s what you need to know about stylish brand Shushu/Tong …
Founded in 2015, Shushu/Tong’s first collection already caught keen eyes
A portmanteau of Lei’s nickname and that of 31-year-old co-founder Yutong Jiang – or Tong Tong – who heads the legal and operations side of the business, Shushu/Tong captures the strength of pubescent heroines often featured in Japanese animation: think Cardcaptor Sakura, Madoka Magica – both stories focused on wide-eyed girls in cute outfits saving the world.