In 2024, we celebrate Lunar New Year on February 10th. It is the Year of the Dragon, which symbolizes passion and confidence. My fundamental vision for my collection is rooted in these energies. From the outset, my mission has been to create a clothing line with the power to enhance your life. Ultimately it’s not about the clothes, but their ability to make you feel confident and comfortable.

The Dragon is also my own sign, so it’s a particularly meaningful year for me. As I’ve designed our spring collection, what’s been top of mind for me is manifesting optimism in simplicity.

The collection will be black and white, with accents of gold. Black and white are essences, not just optical colors. An architect, writer, or draughtsperson starts with black ink on white paper. When you simplify and reduce things to the essential—to the black and white—you can see it in its most honest state.  As a math major, that's also how I learned to solve any complexity.  As an artist, when something is black and white, it also leaves room for the imagination.

We will also be playing with new prints:  black and white in contrast.  Variations on a classic houndstooth pattern, from which I extracted a linear form evoking a dragon scale, the patterns will be custom printed on silk, giving them wonderful fluidity and movement.

Each lunar year is also associated with an element: fire, water, earth, metal, and wood. I shared earlier that I am a Dragon, and the element of my year is Fire. Thus, I am considered a Fire Dragon. Two wonderful women in my community are Fire Dragon sisters. Caroline Lizarraga, the wonderful painter who just adorned our wall at Maison in luminous gold (a color symbolizing prosperity and good fortune), is a Fire Dragon. 

Caroline wearing the Painter Coat in olive 

"This is the Year of the Dragon, which symbolizes passion and confidence. My fundamental vision for my collection is rooted in these energies."

Yuan Yuan wearing the Sloane Jacket in Navy 

We want to pay homage to my dear friend and fellow Fire Dragon, the extraordinary prima ballerina Yuan Yuan Tan, who departs the San Francisco Ballet on February 14th. Yuan Yuan is the epitome of a Fire Dragon—a passionate, confident artist and leader—who has helped define the ballet—and dance of her generation--over her 29 seasons with the company. We can't wait to see what her fiery soul accomplishes next. 

As the only mythical being in the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon is limitless, borderless, thus it can symbolize all our wishes and dreams, it can widen and enlarge our horizons.  I wish you all these things in the coming year. 

X Lan