Fab 40: Ying Gao Fashion, Montreal

Fashion designer and university professor Ying Gao decided while she was completing a master’s in Interactive media that she had enough of being told 'designing is pointless.'

'To work in the fashion industry, all you seemed to need to know was how to copy. I pondered a great deal on the role of the fashion designer, and I wanted to do what a designer was supposed to do – to create and innovate,' she says.

Gao has since taken to perfecting a precise yet almost Lilliputian design style through the concept of 'modulatable' clothing, designing pieces that invisibly integrate microelectronic technology with fashion design. Technology is just as much a source of inspiration as Montreal – 'I love this city' muses Gao.

It seems the city feels the same way about her, with the mayor of Montreal having awarded her the Phyllis-Lambert Design Montreal grant earlier this year. Gao’s latest offering is ‘post-vernissage’, a limited edition collection of conceptual garments made with fine materials and featuring the subtle ‘modulatable’ characteristics that are bound to be Gao’s trademark for years to come.

www.post-vernissage.com

The Bombardier Learjet

Read the article: Bombardier Learjet

The Bombardier Learjet

(Image credit: TBC)

Interior of the Bombardier Learjet

(Image credit: TBC)

Interior of the Learjet

The Bombardier Learjet

(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely, Toronto

Read the article: Cindy Rendely

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely, Toronto


(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant, Vancouver


Read the article: Coast restaurant

Bar area of The Coast restaurant in Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

dining table set up at the Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Dining Room and bar of the Coast restaurant, Vancouver taken from above

(Image credit: TBC)

Dining room at the Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Lounge area of the Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Dining room area of the Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

lounge area of the Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

dining table with shell curtains at the Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Dining room at the Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Dining room at the Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Supernova by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Supernova by Douglas Coupland
Read the article: Douglas Coupland's art

Talking sticks by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Talking sticks by Douglas Coupland

Penguin Pretty Vacant by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Penguin Pretty Vacant by Douglas Coupland

Coyote by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Coyote by Douglas Coupland

Patricide by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Patricide by Douglas Coupland

Penguin Cumshot by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Penguin Cumshot by Douglas Coupland

Penguin Clash by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Penguin Clash by Douglas Coupland

Matricide Silver Skate by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Matricide Silver Skate by Douglas Coupland

Matricide Beer by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Matricide Beer by Douglas Coupland

Drip Maple Syrup

Read the article: Drip Maple Syrup

Drip Maple Syrup

(Image credit: TBC)

Drip Maple Syrup

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest by D'Arcy Jones Design

Read the article: Form & Forest

Form & Forest by D'Arcy Jones Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest by D'Arcy Jones Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest by D'Arcy Jones Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest by D'Arcy Jones Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest by D'Arcy Jones Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest by D'Arcy Jones Design

(Image credit: TBC)

The Keefer Hotel, Vancouver

Read the article: Keefer Hotel

The Keefer Hotel, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Bedroom in The Keefer Hotel, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

bottles of spirits on a bar shelf at The Keefer Hotel, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

sofa and wooden table with large vase in The Keefer Hotel, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Bean bag chair and table by the pool at The Keefer Hotel, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Stack of vintage suitcases against a wall

(Image credit: TBC)

Laneway House, Toronto, by Kohn Shnier architects

Read the article: Kohn Shnier, Toronto

Open plan living room, dining room and kitchen at Laneway House, Toronto, by Kohn Shnier architects

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Laneway House, Toronto, by Kohn Shnier architects Read the article: Kohn Shnier, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Laneway House, Toronto, by Kohn Shnier architects Read the article: Kohn Shnier, Toronto at night

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Laneway House, Toronto, by Kohn Shnier architects

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

Read the article: Vancouver Winter Olympic architecture

Exterior of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Interior gym space of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Interior of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design at night

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design at night

(Image credit: TBC)

Ice rink of the Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Stairs and ceiling of the Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design at night

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Territory table and chairs by Samare Design, Montreal

(Image credit: TBC)

Territory table and chairs by Samare Design, Montreal

Read the article: Samare design, Montreal

Territory lounger by Samare design

(Image credit: TBC)

Territory lounger by Samare design

Territory desk and chair by Samare design

(Image credit: TBC)

Territory desk and chair by Samare design

R-Mountie bench and throw by Samare design

(Image credit: TBC)

R-Mountie bench and throw by Samare design

Still House by Level Design, Vancouver

Read the article: Level Design, Vancouver

Still House by Level Design, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Still House by Level Design, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

exterior of Still House by Level Design, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Interior view to outside at the Still House by Level Design, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

Read the article: Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

Bedroom in the Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Bedroom in Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto at night

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Exterior of 40R_Laneway House by Süperkul, Toronto at night

(Image credit: TBC)

40R_Laneway House by Süperkul, Toronto

Read the article: Süperkul, Toronto

SHIFT Cottage by Süperkul

(Image credit: TBC)

The Trans Canada Trail

Read the article: Trans Canada trail

The Trans Canada Trail

(Image credit: TBC)

The Trans Canada Trail

(Image credit: TBC)

WANT luggage

WANT luggage, Montreal

Nylon Haneda by WANT luggage

(Image credit: TBC)

Nylon Haneda by WANT luggage

Newberry White by WANT luggage

(Image credit: TBC)

Nylon Haneda by WANT luggage

(Image credit: TBC)

Dumont black by WANT luggage

(Image credit: TBC)

Carl Phare's wooden rollercoaster, designed in 1958, Vancouver

Read the article: Wooden rollercoaster

Carl Phare's wooden rollercoaster, designed in 1958, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Carl Phare's wooden rollercoaster, designed in 1958, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Fashion by Ying Gao

Read the article: Ying Gao, Montreal

Fashion by Ying Gao

(Image credit: TBC)

Fashion by Ying Gao

(Image credit: TBC)

Fashion by Ying Gao

(Image credit: TBC)
Fashion Features Editor

Jack Moss is the Fashion Features Editor at Wallpaper*. Having previously held roles at 10, 10 Men and AnOther magazines, he joined the team in 2022. His work has a particular focus on the moments where fashion and style intersect with other creative disciplines – among them art and design – as well as championing a new generation of international talent and profiling the industry’s leading figures and brands.