“Our motivation isn’t just to appeal to young people, but rather our genuine love and appreciation for this lifestyle.” Interview with BG, the designer of ROARINGWILD

Nana: Fashion has infinite possibilities, and new power is born from it. As a carrier of culture and times, fashion encompasses everything. From trendy to traditional culture, from celebrities, idols to everyone’s daily life, and from West to East, it is our discourse, our power, our time. Through Asian Voice, we hope to spread the local Asian fashion culture to the world by moving cross languages and borders.

In this edition of ASIAN VOICE, we are excited to introduce ROARINGWILD, a leading street fashion brand in China founded in 2010. At that time, the underground and streetwear culture was not yet a mainstream trend among Chinese youth. However, the founder of ROARINGWILD and his five friends, who had just started university, created the brand out of their genuine love for streetwear and culture. Initially, they never imagined it would become a brand, but rather a group of friends who shared a passion for street culture and lifestyle. This relaxed mindset may have contributed to the brand’s smooth 12-year journey.

The team’s character has influenced the brand’s culture and growth. Despite the slow pace of progress, ROARINGWILD has taken every step steadily. The brand’s culture is rooted in spreading the love for youth lifestyle. Let’s read about the designer’s narrative regarding the story behind…

Nana: What inspired you to create the brand initially?

BG: Initially, we were just a group of college students who enjoyed hanging out and playing together. As we struggled to find clothes that fit our style, we realized that there was a lack of options in the street culture fashion scene. So, we decided to take matters into our own hands and create our own clothing line. However, it didn’t start with the intention of becoming a brand. We simply made clothes that we wanted to wear, and also dabbled in music and drama for events. Eventually, our passion and creativity led us to gradually evolve into a recognizable brand.

Nana: The brand has a huge impact on Chinese trend culture brands that cannot be replicated. What do you think is the current trend of streetwear scene in China, and do you have any expectations for the future?

BG: The current cultural landscape is vibrant and diverse, a stark contrast to the past. However, there are still gaps in information and much to learn. Despite this, there are now more opportunities for people to become role models and inspire others. In the past, brand consumers blindly followed authority, but nowadays, young people have their own unique ideas and are better informed. This trend is likely to continue, and we can expect to see even more diversity in the future. As a result, new cultural atmospheres are emerging, distinct from those of Europe, Japan, and America. These emerging cultural trends will continue to evolve and develop, becoming an integral part of China streetwear culture.

Nana: What do you think will be different from the current development of the streetwear in China in the future?

BG: I believe that this trend will be a reflection of Chinese cultural confidence, as well as the growing demand for self-expression among young people in the country.

Nana: What do you think about Chinese youth culture and how do you stay up-to-date with it?

BG: To me, it’s all about lifestyle. We used to dance in the streets and go surfing and skateboarding. There’s a certain continuity and connection to this lifestyle, and it creates corresponding demands. This has a direct impact on the design of ROARINGWILD. Our motivation isn’t just to appeal to young people, but rather our genuine love and appreciation for this lifestyle. Whether it’s sports, street culture, music, art, or simply a way of life, we strive to create something that truly corresponds to it.

Nana: The brand has collaborated with PUMA, Vans etc., can you discuss any notable collaborations that ROARINGWILD has done before?

BG: I am particularly fond of niche collaborations. While commercial collaborations tend to be data-driven and restricted, niche cultural collaborations impress me more. For instance, our team once collaborated with Jonathan Castro and had an exhibition and experimental play together. Our staff even performed in one of their plays. Despite none of us being professional theater actors, we participated in the entire creative process and it turned out to be an incredible experience. The play explored the theme of seeing Journey to the West from a different perspective.

Nana: How do you come up with the collection every time? And if it’s possible, could you please share us a little bit about your next collection?

BG: Our views are often expressed through the things around us. For the upcoming quarter, our theme will be centered around freedom. With the end of Covid-19, people yearn for a freer life and are eager to venture out. This has led us to ponder why humans are imbued with so much curiosity and an insatiable desire to explore the world. We will explore the theme of freedom and related attitudes through this question.

Nana: The brand has gone through a journey of 12 years, are there any challenges and difficulties that you would like to share with us?

BG: We haven’t encountered any major difficulties thus far. In fact, many of the challenges we face may seem daunting at the time, but as time passes, we may forget about them altogether. Looking back, we may realize that these difficulties were not as significant as we initially thought and were able to overcome them with ease.

Nana: What are some future goals and plans for ROARINGWILD?

BG: In the future, we envision expanding our reach in overseas markets, such as Japan and Paris, and pursuing deeper development in those regions. Hopefully, we can regain the momentum we had before COVID-19 by reconnecting with old friends and discussing the brand’s future plans and we will pursue further development when the timing is right.

Our passion and creativity led us to gradually evolve into a recognizable brand.
BG(Designer of Roaringwild)