We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yuchen Han a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Yuchen, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
I used to feel like a loser as a boy, haunted by the abuse I suffered at the hands of my father during my childhood. However, fashion became my beacon of bravery in high school. It inspired me to dream of creating my own fashion brand.
I pursued my undergraduate studies in fashion design at China’s top art school and later went to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York to complete my master’s degree. But unexpectedly, upon arriving in New York, I found myself engulfed in severe depression. It was one of the darkest periods of my life. During this time, I founded my brand, ALIENANT.
ALIENANT’s story is rooted in a childhood dreamland that lasted six years – in a dreamland shrouded in white mist, a tiny ant carries a grain of rice as big as a mountain. I always felt like an extraterrestrial ant, and my brand’s mission is to empower every ‘alienator’ with a wearable defense mechanism.
Having faced two significant life challenges, I sought solace and escape from my depressive state through reading. ‘The Power of Now’ and ‘Conversations with God’ were transformative, providing me with profound truths and the answers I had long sought. These insights opened up a new perspective and purpose for my brand and myself.
Now I’m on my way to change the world.
Yuchen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Brand intro
ALIENANT:
ALIENANT is a designer brand founded in New York in 2019. The brand story originated from the founder’s dreamland that lasted six years: trapped in the white mist, a tiny ant crawling with a grain of mountain-big rice on its back.
ALIENANT focuses on men’s and women’s clothing, bags, and accessories. The brand’s unique aesthetic system is fully interpreted through its signature “glitch ” design genes and “wearable defense mechanism” design concept.
Brand Vision:
ALIENANT believes whatever the hardships of life we went through, we all have the power to turn trauma into triumph and rebuild a stronger ego.
Brand Mission:
Our mission is to empower every Alienantor through our wearable defense mechanism products.
Brand Slogan:
Wearable Defense Mechanism
Creative Director:
Yuchen Han is a fashion designer who connects personal and social emotions. He founded his designer brand ALIENANT in New York in 2019. He maximizes the power of combining technology, storytelling, and personal narratives. His autobiographical fashion collection has built an individually attached, and socially affected aesthetic system.
He has won multiple fashion awards, including the 2022 YU PRIZE Rising Voices Award and the YINGER PRIZE 2022 Grand Award. His boundless creativity has drawn great attention from the fashion industry; his works are featured in Vogue, Bazaar, Nylon, Tatler, etc; celebrities like Coldplay, Halsey, and Nle Choppa wore and loved his designs.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the notion that I am defined by my brain and that the hardships I’ve endured dictate my identity.
As I previously mentioned, my long battle with depression began to ease when I found enlightenment through ‘The Power of Now’ and ‘Conversations with God.’ These teachings led me to understand that both the past and the future are mere illusions. The true treasure lies in the present moment. I’ve learned the importance of being conscious and connected to something greater than myself, allowing me to experience genuine joy from the depths of my heart.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I launched my brand in 2019, but it was only after navigating through two challenging years of the pandemic that we officially kicked off in 2022. Our breakthrough came with the prestigious wins of the Yu Prize and the Yinger Prize. These accolades not only garnered industry recognition but also provided a portion of our initial capital.
In addition to these achievements, I also raised funds through my personal endeavors and custom projects for private clients. My family’s support played a crucial role as well. Reflecting on this journey, I can confidently say that it was a collaborative effort, a testament to the power of teamwork.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alienantofficial.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alienant_official?igshid=MzRIODBiNWFIZA%3D%3D
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuchen-han-39788a18b/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alienant1994