It’s an exciting prospect for the world of fashion. What’s come with the aesthetic evolution of the fusing art and technology is a specific profile of visuals held by independent brands like NUTEMPEROR.

**LOSING EDEN PROJECT**. photography Sen Louwen. styling jchacacha

Delicate textiles synthetic and organic looking joined with deconstructed tactical wear adorned by fur and glass beads; concepts are few and far between when it comes to today’s over-convoluted market, but NUTEMPEROR has managed to find their way through the search of meaning through a project by project basis.

We talked to their originator JXXXX in a brief interview, as an attempt to probe some of the more discrete aspects of nurturing a brand who seems to know exactly who they are.

**NewFake Project.** print design WJX. photography XIAOPENG YUAN. makeup MILKY H3. styling **JXXX**. production **SHANSHAN**.

How did the genesis of NUTEMPEROR come about?

I had previously made another brand with a friend, but due to various reasons, it didn't last long. In 2016, I founded my own brand, NUTEMPEROR. Drawing on lessons I learned from my previous experience and using limtied funds, I designed and produced a few pieces for online. A model that allowed the brand to gradually become self-sufficient in the early stages.

**VEGETABLE PROJECT**. photography **GONGXIAOLONG**. art direction **JXXX**. styling Ipso Jopon. set DT, WJX, **HALO**. production **QIUQIU**.

**WANDER PROJECT**. photography XIAOPENG YUAN. art direction **JXXX**. styling **YINYIN**. makeup **FREYA** NI. production **QIUQIU**.

What’s the story behind the brand name?

A: The name NUTEMPEROR comes from the monologue in Hamlet: “I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space.”

So much of the clothes are narrativized by visual campaigns, like the “Xenotransplantation Project”; how did you find your brand identity beyond clothing?

The “Xenotransplantation Project” you mentioned is a long-term project that started in June 2019. Changing each season, a letter from "Z" to "A" in reverse order is chosen. Each letter having a word associated with it that inspires the designs. The idea is that it creates inspirations for new directions, and stop sterotypes from forming as it forces the designs to constantly change, even if the previous designs are still working. I’m already working on a sixth letter project.

**Xenotransplantation Project**. 3D by Jingxin Wang

What’s the process of production like for you? Is there a team behind NUTEMPEROR?

There are just a few of us in the studio, mainly working on design, operations and sales. Our clothes are manufactured by a factory that we have been working with for a long time. As some of our pieces have special and largely unique processes involved, we have approached many factories before and they were not willing to do it, so we appreciate the patience and professional attitude of this factory.

The “VEGETABLE PROJECT” shows a wide array of play in silhouette, technique and texture. How do you consider fashion’s importance today?

For us each project has a new perspective to observe through new approaches and techniques that are differently suited to each project. We are always experimenting with different possibilities of materials and innovations both strucutrally and texturally. For me or the brand, we have to consider whether it will survive. So sometimes we so have to partly compromise. Having said that, we don't want to stagnate on something that's boring. After all, there is never a shortage of normal clothes.

Natural terrain is a running theme in many of NUTEMPEROR’s editorials; why do you choose to depict terrestrial habitats?

Perhaps it could be all the disorderly variations that exist in nature, which is quite different to fashion. Today we follow labels and brands and get satisfaction from viewing the imagery they provide. In some ways, the possibility of doing something really different in fashion is becoming limited because the zeitgeist follows this imagery so much and almost expects it.