Pretti5 returned to New York Fashion Week in its second partnership as part of the continued expansion into the US market. The East meets West philosophy was celebrated as the two Chinese rooted brands, PH5 and Pretti5 came together this season with the aligned ethos of innovation and science.  PH5 is an advanced contemporary women’s knitwear brand founded by Wei Lin, the daughter of a large knitwear manufacturer and designed by a Parsons-trained, award-winning designer, Zoe Champion.

With a new US point of sale, Beautylish, Pretti5 was pleased to share some of what is now available with the PH5 show guests and models backstage. Each guest in attendance from Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, Elle as well as beauty influencers and celebrity stylists received gift bags including Pretti5’s Hydrating Serum, Hydrating Paper Mask, Eye Cream, Hand Cream and Night Cream. 

To celebrate this unique partnership, Pretti5 met with PH5 founder Wei Lin and designer Zoe for a warm-hearted after-show conversation to talk about the shared roots of the two brands and their philosophy on beauty.

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Hi, I’m Wei Lin, founder of PH5. 

Hi, I’m Zoe I am a half Australian, half Chinese woman who is the designer of PH5.

Tell us about the name PH5. Rooted in the idea of chemistry value and science, how do you incorporate these ideas into the daily practice of the brand? 

We wanted to be a knitwear laboratory in the advanced contemporary space – pushing knitwear in fresh, seasonless, and experimental ways. That’s also why we named the brand as a chemical value. We strike to be at the forefront of innovation & technology when it comes to knitwear & materiality, for example our viral UV reactive pieces.

What do you think of the East Meets West philosophy, and how does the Chinese roots of the brand infuse Eastern values into the brand story? 

My mum owns and runs a knitwear China in Southern China near Hong Kong. And so everything is made in China. But we didn’t build the brand to be a Chinese brand or an American brand. We are trying to build the best and most exciting knitwear brand right now.

What is the envisioned lifestyle and type of personality you design for, and how do both fashion and beauty fit into it?

We want to be unique in our aesthetic, and we are designing for customers who are not afraid to be different and quirky.

What is your relationship to beauty? Do you have a skincare routine? 

I’m pretty basic when it comes to beauty and skincare routine. I exercise a lot and so my skin is pretty natural and has a pretty healthy glow.

To get a feel of what the PH5 x Pretti5 partnership looked like at NYFW, take a look at this recap on Pretti5's Instagram account.