What if a trained anthropologist were to take their knowledge of culture and people and apply it to designing a collection of clothing? What would it look like? While there's a chance it wouldn’t look great, consider a trained designer creating with the mindset of an anthropologist. This is exactly what Taiwanese clothing company, Professor.E does, utilizing imaginative designs focused on people groups and cultures between the 15th and 17th century. Not only do Ken Rao, the label’s Creative Director, and his team find inspiration in culture, historical manuscripts, and traditional garments, but they also utilize this inspiration to create a new world around the anonymous “Professor E.” Through details such as short stories regarding the Professor’s travels, Rao builds a stylized world based upon the Professor and the garments he wears.

History is a defining factor in Rao’s designs as many of the garments Professor.E takes inspiration concerning specific cultures within the age of discovery. In the label’s spring-summer 2020 collection surrounding the desert, inspiration from Middle Eastern cultures was utilized in order to create their heavily stylized designs. Design elements found in Jean Du Nouy’s “The Sentinel” (1877) like the red and pink colors and direct reference to the turban headpiece worn by the subject were utilized to create their looks. Du Nouy, a prolific Orientalist painter of the 19th century, traveled extensively to countries like Egypt, Türkiye, and Greece to create his work which would later be referenced in designs by Rao. Beyond cultural history, Rao places a clear emphasis on familial history and the idea of passing garments down between generations. In Professor.E’s spring-summer 2022 collection, one blazer featured an array of mismatched buttons placed in a non-symmetrical fashion, indicating the “passing-down” of garments from generation to generation with new buttons sewn on to fit each wearer.

Beyond curating inspiration to foster interesting ideas, Rao is able to construct beautiful pieces of clothing with meticulous attention to detail. Professor.E creates periodic garments largely due to the quality and realism of the fabrics and materials they use, which are made predominantly by the team at Professor.E. In an interview done by Japanese magazine Sabukaru, Rao says, “We used a lot of handmade fabrics this season, such as hand-dyeing, weaving, and cloud yarn.” By creating handmade fabrics, Rao’s team is able to control every element going into their garments, further adding to their world-building process and authenticity.

Anonymity is a defining characteristic of Professor.E and the world they have created. Every collection features masked models dawning the brand's clothing while maintaining a hidden identity. The anonymity of the creators, the models, and the mysterious Professor E. is a key element of adding to the world in which the garments reside. Professor.E’s team believes that hiding their identity allows them to wholly tune into the world they have created, placing emphasis on the designs and references to immerse the wearer into their world.

Written by Drew Martin, Design: Claire Thessen, Social Media: Manuela Diez

Anthropology and Design: