YanYan's Spring 2020 Collection Is Elevated DIY At Its Finest

The Lunar New Year is upon us, and a new collection from Hong Kong knitwear label YanYan is arriving just in time to celebrate. For their third release, the bicoastal brand sourced inspiration from the Chinese neighborhood of Sham Shui Po — a coastal area with fine fabrics and crafty materials at its very core. Its population, many of which are senior citizens, boasts an energy as vibrant as its textiles. Filled with eccentric knick knacks, beads and yarn shops, and sun-blanched fibers, their street markets define much of the cultural fabric of the area.

Following frequent visits to the neighborhood, the brand's founders crafted a collection that reimagines the sartorial world of these DIY mavens along Hong Kong's coast. Using Japanese technical yarns and handcrafted Chinese knots, each of these garments refreshes beloved antique-y styles in a distinctly youthful way. And the result is just as playful as you'd expect.

“We always start our collections by imagining what we might find in our grandmother’s closets, and how we would reinterpret the idea for ourselves," shared founders Phyllis Chan (former rag & bone Director of Knitwear) and Suzzie Chung (Hong Kong-based designer). "In this collection, we wanted to explore mixing and matching colors and patterns and stripes, and how to create fun twinsets that can match and look eclectic at the same time.”

Chan and Chung joined forces to create a label that's both playful and intentional, defying fast fashion by thinking deftly about the impact of their processes. The name "YanYan," Cantonese for "everyone," truly says it all — across every step of production, all who are touched by the brand's supply chain are considered and safeguarded.

Styles to watch out for in this collection are numerable, including the Lemon Drop Cami and Pant (the same design available in a cozy crewneck sweater dress), which feature cheery peach and cerulean stripes around their hemlines. Pictured above, the Sunblock Lambswool line comes in everything from a grandpa cardigan to a miniskirt, with handwoven yarn delivering a highly bespoke feel to each and every piece.

Explore favorites ahead of the release below, or head to YanYanKnits.com to shop previous collections by the duo.