Sum London Collaborated with TENCEL™ and Advance Denim on Cultural Storytelling Capsule
Sum London’s brand identity already spans continents, but the London-based label recently went Transatlantic with a runway show staged at New York Fashion Week.
Reflecting founder Margaret Sam’s Chinese heritage and British upbringing, Sum London is designed with an East-meets-West lens. Her capsule collection presented during NYFW embodies the “resilient immigrant spirit” with the name Jiā Yóu, which translates to “add oil” or “keep going.” Although her own family planted roots in the United Kingdom, this concept speaks to the universal experience of trying to find a better life, including the American Dream.
“So long as we have our community supporting us, we plan to keep sharing our cultural-diasporic stories long enough for the future generation of global citizens to feel a sense of home in Sum London,” said Margaret.
Jiā Yóu was created in collaboration with Lenzing and China-based mill Advance Denim. The looks are utilitarian, with a modernized interpretation of naval workwear as an homage to the 20,000 Chinese sailors who fought for the British in World War II.
“[TENCEL™ and Advance Denim] understood that this wasn’t just about creating beautiful clothes, but about honoring a legacy,” Margaret told Inside Retail. “When you’re dealing with such profound depth of storytelling, their technical expertise and commitment to craftsmanship make all the difference in helping us navigate the emotional weight of the project with aesthetics.”
Wood-based TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal provide drape and a modern touch to the garments. “The technical challenge was balancing the rugged, lived-in feel of heritage workwear with modern performance and drape—and TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers made that possible,” Margaret said. “Their versatility across lightweight jersey, mid-weight knits and heavy raw denim allowed us to stay authentic to heritage while pushing design forward.”
The guerilla runway show on Sept. 12 was staged between SoHo and Chinatown, positioned to meet the “real community.” Following the presentation on the street, the brand hosted a two-day pop-up at Studio Dem in Williamsburg, Brooklyn from Sept. 13 to 14, further building a sense of community between consumers and Sum London.
The young label is seeking to scale responsibly, with activations including an appearance at Kingpins Show Amsterdam this week. Also in the pipeline is a London pop-up. “It’s clear there is a growing market for a dual-heritage brand brands that reflect cultural blending, migration and post-colonial shifts,” Margaret noted. “Sum London speaks to second-generation Asians, mixed-heritage communities and globally minded audiences seeking a place to belong and represent their identity.”
This type of partnership between fiber producer, manufacturer and emerging brand could help expand the use of sustainable, premium materials in the wider fashion industry.
“A collaboration model across the value chain represents the future of fashion innovation, where sustainability is the foundation, not an afterthought,” Dennis Hui, global business development manager for denim at Lenzing, told Inside Retail. “At Lenzing, we believe real innovation happens when fiber producers, mills and designers collaborate from the start. By combining responsible fibers like TENCEL™ Lyocell with the expertise of partners such as Advance Denim, we can turn creative visions, like Margaret’s at Sum London, into products that are both authentic and environmentally responsible.”