The Chinese-born, New York-based young designer is Rihanna-approved, too:
Gao's design process stems from a past stint in styling during her last two years in Beijing. From a 3-D perspective, she experiments with draping vintage clothes and past seasons' samples on a friend. "She'll be the model and I just do styling on her body and take a lot of pictures," explains Gao. "For example, I'll twist a vintage kimono and one of my classic suits together, tie there, try this proportion.
With a solid co-sign from buyers, celebrities and stylists, Gao plans to grow her namesake brand by connecting directly with her customers. The decision stems from an experience at the beginning of year, when she spent two days observing shoppers at one of her retailers, the major department store SKP in Beijing. There's also a custom-made suiting service in the works; appointments will be made via the label's website.