Bad Binch TONGTONG x NYFW23

New York, NY - On Friday, September 8th, Bad Binch TONGTONG unveiled its Spring/Summer 2024 collection at the Tribeca Synagogue, 49 White Street with a choreographed dance presentation. This performance was a partnership with Stefanie Nelson, the artistic force behind Stefanie Nelson Dance Group, and AHRC NYC, an organization dedicated to serving people with disabilities.

Bad Binch TONGTONG’s return to the runway is a continuation of Terrence Zhou’s exploration and expansion of clothing’s potential. Fabricated from his already established ideas of shape as a way to physically transform, Terrence invites viewers to think deeply on the ways silhouettes can extend our human bodies into something extraterrestrial–shapes that reach beyond the frontiers of our imagination.

While last year's focus was on harmony and pure forms, this year's collection digs deeper. It serves as a powerful mirror of Zhou's emotional journey. The shape of garments interact in ways that express Zhou's current feelings and past experiences. His silhouettes describe an inner struggle between the known and the unknown, conclusively leading to a surrender to the universe and acceptance of life's uncertainties. The aliens with elongated heads and tentacle-like appendages challenge the very definition of what form is which allows us to open our mind to what clothing can be. 

Stefanie Nelson helps bring this emotional story to life through dance. The performers are dressed in outfits inspired by elements like octopuses, butterflies, and geometric shapes. The cast is diverse, featuring people with disabilities, seasoned dancers, and individuals from all walks of life. With live instrumental music, they perform as if they were extraterrestrial beings, taking the audience on a journey into the unknown while tapping into emotions that everyone can relate to.

Materially, this season Zhou utilizes discarded fabrics, leftover cuts, donated clothes, and found objects to give them a second life. The upcycled materials present are colorful in palette because Zhou has fully surrendered to the universe’s gifts. A departure from his monochromatic palette for clothes, Zhou has embraced the ability of color to convey emotion. 

The entire show is like life itself—an evolving, unpredictable process. There's no predefined outcome, just an organic flow that sometimes even surprises the creator. The audience is invited to let go, to trust the mysteries of life, and to break down the barriers of ego. The show encourages everyone to approach life with an open heart and an open mind, embracing the beauty of the unknown.

Zhou’s return to the runway presents us with more questions than answers. Through creation with shape, fabric, and movement, we are confronted by our existence through Zhou’s vision.

press:
BRICKS MAGAZINE
HARPER’S BAZAAR SINGAPORE
OFFICE MAGAZINE
CULTED

show credits:
Creative director: Terrence Zhou @bad_binch_tongtong
Video: Angel Diaz @yesangeldiaz
Producer assistant: Wendy Tao @wendypeachh
PR: @giakuanconsulting
Stylist: Money Wang @mrmoneywang
Hair: Chika Nishiyama @chika_nishiyama
Makeup : Ayaka Nihei @ayaka_nihei
Music: Katie Jenkins @katieejenks
Pianist: Han Chen @hanchenpiano
Model: Chenbo Xing @iio.ne
Vincent DeRienzo @derienzovincent
Niohuru @vampirechinese
Design assistants:
Luotong Zeng @ameliezlt , Noor Bishor @noorbishor Laurence Wei @laurencewei , Ziv Liu @vizcilbup
Choreographer and movement director : Stefanie Nelson @sndancegroup
Dancer: Jamel Mills: @jamel_mills32
Ervine Haskins: @ervine.haskins
Mar Rivero: @mar17r
Ke’ron Wilson: @keronjwilson
Ching-I Chang: @tax1050
Santi Braz: @santibraz
Effie Peng: @effie.png
Show runner: Bianca Cosentino, @bianca_8399

Special thanks to AHRC @ahrcnyc for donating rehearsal space and support staff

Images: Hatnim Lee