When you’re drawn to something, how do you begin translating that into a tangible design? Do you start from emotion, material, or form?
Choosing to blur the line between serenity and strength, Beijing-born designer Jiangning Tan founded RIVERPEACE.CO, a UK-based fashion label that challenges expectations while staying grounded in cultural heritage. From herb-dyed silks rooted in Chinese medicine to stainless-steel Blade Heels that echo armour and rebellion, her collections are a study in contrast and connection.
Tan first tapped into her creative instincts through an early fascination with philosophy and symbolism. After moving to the UK to pursue her MA in Fashion at the Royal College of Art, she began to explore the dualities that shape her identity — east and west, softness and sharpness, the spiritual and the physical. Her brand, RIVERPEACE.CO, channels these tensions into garments that feel both otherworldly and grounded, mystical and modern.
Through poetic silhouettes, unconventional materials, and a refusal to compromise creative authenticity, Jiangning uses fashion as a vessel for storytelling, self-discovery, and subtle rebellion, inviting audiences to armour up for empowerment.
While your graduate collection Leisure and Longevity embraces a softer, more serene approach with herb-dyed silk, the design of Blade Heels is known for its sharp, boundary-pushing use of metal in footwear design. What inspired this creative shift?
Both elegant and soft things, and bizarre and sharp forms trigger my interest. It is just like yin and yang cannot separate from each other; they both are part of my creative persona. I think as I grew, it was natural to be drawn to different areas of interest. And the best thing about fashion is that, you can incorporate whatever field you find intriguing into your design, whether it’s the shape of a flower, an architectural style, or even a philosophical concept. Speaking of the particular shift, I indulged more in my cultural heritage of Chinese medicine theories while completing my master of Fashion at the Royal College of Art. After graduating and venturing into the business world, I was inspired by weapons and armour, a symbol of my inner strength. It represents a change from external exploration to inner reflection.
When you’re drawn to something, how do you begin translating that into a tangible design? Do you start from emotion, material, or form?
Most of the time, I start forming concepts first and then think about how certain material combinations can help me realise the designs. In the meantime, I enjoy the feeling of sculpting freely with a piece of fabric, without a set theme, just following my instincts. The approach really depends on the end goal: for commercial sales or custom client work, I start with finalised sketches. But when it comes to artistic creation, I prefer to work directly with the fabric and let it guide the process.
Your signature Blade Heels are known for their use of metal components combined with craftsmanship. What kind of method did you choose when developing the Blade Heels? And how did you practise this iteration process to finalise the design?
This design was motivated by a goodwill to help people build up inner strength. Once, I was being harassed by a random man on the street, and he ran away before I could fight back. I shared this on social media and, surprisingly, got comments from other women facing the same issue. One day after that, a sudden muse came into my mind that I wanted to design a shoe with a knife on it, so that I and other women could armour ourselves. The very first draft is what you see the Blade Heels look like now — it has a Wolverine-like form, with three blades aligned side by side. However, the real iteration has to deal with choosing the right raw material for the heel. After testing more than 10 materials, including ABS, Nylon, and PLA, I concluded that only stainless steel powder provides both the best appearance and sufficient mechanical strength to support the body’s weight. There used to be another option, which is aluminium alloy powder, but its strength and density are far from ideal.
You went through rigorous testing with over ten different materials. What did that trial-and-error phase teach you about working with unconventional components in fashion design?
You can see this creative process similar to a scientist trying to invent something new, something that never existed before. It is important to allow yourself the time to fail. It is usually not gonna succeed the first couple of times. For example, different from traditional high heels making, where the heel component is stuck to the sole with glue and screws inserted from midsole, I invented a new way of screwing the metal heel component from outsole to adapt to the non-adhesive nature of stainless steel. This involves cutting the preset holes and cutting the steel plate on the midsole, for which I made several prototypes to achieve the final results. The second lesson is that you need to be at least a skilled technician yourself to be qualified to invent a new physical product. For me, I learnt the shoe-making from start to end, made a couple of shoes myself, and only then felt confident enough to turn the sketch into reality.
Your latest collection, Pisces Era, feels rich with symbolism. Can you share what inspired this body of work?
Yeah, of course. As its name Pisces Era suggests, the collection is inspired by the last constellation of the zodiac signs, Pisces. Researching astrology and numerology, I found out that as the last sign of the zodiac, Pisces is associated with creativity and mysticism. Its mythological story is also linked to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, and her son Cupid, the god of desire. Using Pisces as the theme, I hope it blesses my work with endless creativity.
Do you personally resonate with Pisces energy or symbolism? How did the themes of creativity and mysticism translate into the materials, colours, or silhouettes you used in the collection?
I do resonate with the spirit of Pisces. This star sign is often seen as a group of people where creative genius and emotional intensity collide, producing talents who are sometimes misunderstood. Nevertheless, I think it’s essential to step outside the norm for a fashion designer. You should never aim for mediocre. As for the process, I used both realistic baroque style Pisces print and minimalist symbol of the sign on either garments or accessories. Also, I transformed its sense of fluidity into silhouette designs, creating details like pleated sleeve cuffs and dress trains.
As someone who’s worked across both artistic and commercial spheres, how do you strike a balance between personal expression and market demands?
Great question. The way I resolve this dilemma is by keeping practicality top of mind, without compromising on the creative side. That means the work should be well-made, long-lasting, and serve the function of a garment at its core. Then, I need to combine my unique designs, whether it is an asymmetrical waistline or the use of metal components, onto the base. You could also approach it from an entrepreneurial perspective. The brand needs to contribute its unique aesthetic or spirit through its physical products, make profits, and put the surplus into future development. Only in this way will we create a sustainable business cycle.
That is insightful. Looking ahead — what’s next for you? Where do you envision the brand heading in the future?
Always evolving, never looking back. RIVERPEACE.CO should be a name that people often talk about; its creation should be breaking conventions repeatedly; and its spirit inspires those who come after.
Learn more about Jiangning Tan’s work at www.riverpeace.co
Words by Clara Whitmore
Photography Jiangning Tan
Model Vartica Fanpage, Daisy Norris, Huixin Zhang
