INTERVIEW with Lydia Jiang || Island Haus Runway 2026 Designer
SD: Hi Lydia, for my readers who don’t know you yet, can you please introduce yourself?
LJ: Hi, my name is Lydia Jiang, an independent fashion designer based in Brisbane. Originally from China, I have called Australia home for the past 17 years and now design under my own name. Becoming a fashion designer was a dream of mine in high school, but family circumstances and uncertainty led me to choose a different path at the time. Seven years ago, I decided to return to that dream, beginning formal practical training at TAFE and later completing my bachelor’s degree at QUT.
I’m drawn to slow fashion, couture craftsmanship and environmentally conscious design, and I’m working to develop my practice in that direction. I hope my garments can tell stories and create an emotional connection with the people who see or wear them. My work often explores movement and structure through pleating, draping and fabric manipulation.
SD: What challenges did you face when you started your own label, and what advice would you give young aspiring designers?
LJ: As my label is still in its early stages, I also manage the entire process myself, from developing the concept and designing each garment to pattern-making, cutting, sewing, and finishing. Creating even one piece requires a great deal of time, energy and patience. It is a challenging process, but I genuinely enjoy every stage of making a garment and seeing an idea come to life.
My advice would be to keep making things and never stop creating. Don’t let the feeling that you are not ready prevent you from starting. The truth is, you may never know what being truly ready feels like. Design is a continuous process of solving problems, and it is only by beginning that you discover which skills or areas of knowledge you still need to develop.
SD: Does art in all its forms play a major part in your life?
LJ: Yes, absolutely. I enjoy visiting art exhibitions, but I also find art in nature and in everyday moments. For example, in the movement of water, the shadows cast by leaves and plants in sunlight, and the layered forms created when plants overlap. These observations often shape the way I think about movement, texture and form in my designs. Art exists all around us in our daily lives.
SD: How do you select the materials that are used in the clothes?
LJ: I select materials after developing the theme and initial design, considering the garment’s mood, silhouette, and construction. For a soft, relaxed or fluid design, I choose lightweight, breathable fabrics, often made from natural fibres. For designs requiring volume or sculptural impact, I use materials with sufficient body and structure to maintain their shape. Ultimately, the fabric must express the feeling of the concept while supporting the form and function of the design.
SD: What are your plans for the future, and what can we expect in the coming years?
LJ: My main focus for the future is to continue building my own label, giving it a clearer direction, a more unique design identity and a more mature design language. I am also in the process of setting up my own studio, which will provide me with dedicated space to develop new work.
In the future, I hope to collaborate with more artists and other talented designers, bringing different perspectives together to create thoughtful and meaningful pieces. At the same time, I also want sustainability and longevity to play a greater role in my practice. Alongside creating beautiful garments, I want to make more responsible material choices and use thoughtful construction to create long-lasting pieces that can be worn and valued over time. You can expect more refined construction and thoughtful designs that are visually distinctive while remaining emotionally connected to the wearer.
SD: Without giving too much detail away, what should we expect from your collection for Island Haus Runway?
LJ: For Island Haus Runway, I will be presenting eight looks that bring together different stages of my design journey. Some originated in my graduate collection, while others were created in response to specific themes and projects. Rather than presenting one fixed aesthetic, the collection reflects how my understanding of design has evolved over the years, particularly how I use fabric not simply to construct a garment, but to give physical form to a theme or idea. Although the looks were created at different moments, bringing them together showcases my design style and how my design language has evolved.
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Island Haus Runway:
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Lydia Jiang:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydia_jiang/
Photo Credits:
First + Second Photo: Taken by Caroline Attwood
