Fashion, at its most profound, is storytelling. Each stitch, each silhouette, and every calculated detail serves as a thread in the tapestry of a designer’s vision.
For INF’s AW25 collection, the raven emerges as a central figure—an enigmatic creature, often draped in mystery, yet imbued with layers of untold narratives.
The collection isn’t just an ode to the bird itself but a reexamination of its symbolism, challenging perceptions and reinterpreting tradition through a modern lens.
The creative force behind INF approaches design with the mind of a mythologist. “I’m a person run by stories,” Kuo explains, delving into the extensive research that led them to the Ru-Kai legend.
In this indigenous Taiwanese tale, the raven is not a harbinger of darkness but a guardian—one that transforms into an elder to care for orphaned siblings. This inversion of the traditional Western perception of the raven as an omen of doom fuels the very essence of the collection: challenging preconceived notions and uncovering hidden truths.
Deconstructing Tradition
INF’s AW25 collection is not just thematically rich; it is also technically audacious. Traditional houndstooth, a hallmark of classic menswear, is reimagined into a striking motif that resembles a raven in mid-flight.
In Taiwan, houndstooth is known as “Thousands Birds,” a serendipitous connection that inspired the designer to merge the structured geometry of the pattern with the organic fluidity of avian motion. The result is a hybrid of heritage and innovation—time-honored textile transformed into a contemporary statement.
“In this collection, we’ve adapted the shape of raven’s wings, claws or even the flying movement into out patterning structure. for the printing we deconstructed the traditional houndstooth printing, redesign the unit into a raven spread its wings.”
This blending of old and new is no easy feat. The designer speaks of the process as an ongoing challenge, one they embrace wholeheartedly: “I always like to set challenges for myself and enjoy the outcome after conquering them.” The meticulous trial-and-error process involved countless iterations before achieving a balance where indigenous totems and modern tailoring could coexist harmoniously.
A Palette Drawn from Myth
The AW25 collection unfolds in a striking palette—Olive Green, Blaze Red, and Quiet Grey—each hue extracted from the stories the designer absorbed during research. These colors encapsulate the many faces of the raven: the muted greens of forest canopies where it perches, the fiery red of its protective spirit, and the soft grey of its wings against the dawn.
The hues act as emotional anchors, tying the collection to the designer’s broader vision of storytelling through color. Before sketching a single garment, they first illustrate scenes inspired by the legends they encounter, allowing those narratives to dictate the tones and textures of the final pieces.
Sculpting the Raven’s Form
Beyond pattern and color, the very structure of each piece pays tribute to the raven’s form. Wing-shaped cuts, slits, and draped elements echo the movement of feathers. Collars extend and flow like a bird in mid-flight, and sleeves taper into points reminiscent of talons.
One standout piece, a black coat, embodies this philosophy. Rather than layering additional fabric to create the illusion of plumage, the designer masterfully manipulates the base material itself, crafting a seamless, feather-like drape through innovative patterning. These sculptural elements do not merely imitate nature—they transform the wearer into part of the legend itself.
The raven can be lovely, beautiful and heart whelming, it doesn’t always have to be dark or gothic – just like this collection.
Completing the Story
For INF, a collection is more than just clothing—it’s a fully realized world. Accessories, often overlooked in thematic storytelling, play a crucial role in this immersive experience. Raven-inspired details extend beyond textiles and into jewelry and hardware. Accessories reminiscent of a raven’s beak punctuate the collection, reinforcing the continuity of the narrative. “A collection should be telling a complete story,” Kuo explains, emphasising the importance of consistency in design.
The raven is not merely an aesthetic motif—it is a philosophical statement, an exploration of duality. “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” the designer asserts. “Lots of beings or things are like this in the world. I want to encourage people to read more and know more before jumping to conclusions.”
The raven, so often associated with darkness and death, is redefined as a creature of wisdom, warmth, and protection. It is a call to reassess not just the bird but the biases that shape our understanding of the world.
Fashion as Narrative, Fashion as Revolution
The AW25 collection is not simply clothing—it is a manifesto. It speaks to the power of fashion as an agent of transformation, a means of conveying ideas that ripple far beyond the runway. “I always think fashion should be the power of revolution in this world,” the designer declares, seeing their work as a vehicle for change, an “imperceptible influence” that gradually reshapes culture.
“The effect of fashion will gradually spread into to people. So my job is to read and find story and telling them in a new way or my way to the audiences.”
The process is painstaking, with hundreds of discarded sketches for every final look that makes it onto the runway. “Sometimes, the more uniqueness one possesses, the farther away they are from the mainstream market,” the designer muses. Striking the balance between innovation and wearability is the ever-present challenge, one that INF approaches with both discipline and artistry. Each piece is tested against a simple yet profound question: Would I wear this in any condition? If the answer is no, it is abandoned, making way for a new evolution of the concept.
The Raven Takes Flight
If this collection were mirrored in a film, it reflects Synecdoche, New York—a layered, cerebral meditation on identity and perception. But in truth, this comparison extends beyond just AW25; it encapsulates the designer’s entire creative philosophy. INF’s work is an ongoing dialogue between myth and modernity, between the past and the future, between what is seen and what lies beneath the surface.
This collection is a story, a philosophy, a revolution—woven into fabric, waiting to be worn, waiting to be understood. And in it, the raven, reborn, takes flight.
