ZURUI CHEN
ZuRui Chen is a fashion designer, illustrator, and graphic designer of Chinese origin, with a background of six years of fashion education and two years of work experience, now based in new york.
He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fashion design from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. While at Otis, he had the privilege of working with renowned fashion designer Jason Wu and costume designer Eduardo Castro through the school's mentor projects, where he developed his solid garment construction and design skills.
After graduating from college in 2019, he worked two years before and after the pandemic combined. During the two-year work experience, Chen gained versatility and sufficiency by entering different fields. He had two major full-time jobs, several freelance jobs, and project-based jobs. He crossed different fields, from fashion/apparel and managing to styling, graphic design, and product design.
During the last quarter of 2020, ZuRui finished his portfolio with a full-time job as a fashion designer and visual director for an e-commerce brand in China. In March 2021, he received his offer and decided to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).
He received his Master of Design degree in Fashion design after two years mentored by Nick Cave and Liat Smestad. during his two years in graduate school, Chen strengthen his garment-making skills through his practices, he improved his time-managing ability by organizing and managing each process. He designed one ready-to-wear collection with 5 looks produced, eight fine art pieces under nick cave's influence, and created a 6-look couture collection as his thesis.
Chen’s creations are diverse, he creates characters and personalities by innovating different authentic styles. Hi draws inspiration from themes and scenarios, sometimes he creates his own fiction universe. Chen focuses on volume, color, and storytelling, making him a unique designer, and each of his works is authentic.
To Chen, fashion is a game of creativity; individuals can become anyone they want. His designs celebrate stories and represent his passion for creating wearable art that inspires and delights.