W Magazine China
Fetishism
Sep 2026
The Fetishism project for W Magazine China serves as a masterclass in avant-garde fashion editorial, pushing the boundaries of traditional portraiture through a lens of stylized obsession. Photographer Nick Yang captures a series of surreal, high-fashion compositions that lean heavily into maximalist aesthetics, effectively deconstructing the conventional beauty editorial. By utilizing sharp, high-key lighting and direct flash techniques, the team creates a clean, graphic visual language that makes the unconventional styling feel both intentional and provocative. The creative direction is anchored by Austin Feng, whose styling choices transform the model Hejia Li into a living sculpture, particularly in the striking execution of a garment crafted entirely from voluminous, textured hair. MingHu Zhang’s intricate work on hair styling and Yooyo Keong Ming’s bold, saturated makeup application—ranging from cyan eyeshadow to vivid orange lips—provide the necessary texture to bridge the gap between human subject and art object. The imagery masterfully blends hard light aesthetics with a sense of playful artifice, as seen in the deliberate stacking of eyewear and the juxtaposition of metallic chalices against oversized leather corsetry. Ultimately, the project stands as a bold exploration of adornment, favoring a surrealist perspective that demands attention while maintaining the technical precision required of top-tier designer fashion media.
Editorial, Artistic, Surreal
Beauty Light
Magazines, Fashion, Media & Entertainment, Designer Fashion
