School of the Art Institute of Chicago-trained designer Shuoyi Chen, known professionally as Anastasia Elektra, grabbed the spotlight at Chicago Fashion Week with a breakout debut of her “Chicago Architecture” collection. The collection audaciously translated the city’s iconic skyscrapers into wearable menswear, using chemically-treated paper and origami-like folding techniques. Coats mimicked the Willis Tower’s vertical thrust and trousers echoed Marina City’s curved setbacks, each piece turning an architectural landmark into avant-garde apparel.
This fusion of material science and architecture is central to Chen’s philosophy of the “Armor of Honesty,” a design approach creating sculptural garments that are structurally bold yet emotionally vulnerable. With a mission to redefine masculinity in fashion and a background that bridges fine art and engineering, Anastasia Elektra is emerging as an innovator who quite literally folds Chicago’s skyline into fashion.
Interviewer: Tell us a bit about your background in fashion and what led you to launch your own menswear label.
Anastasia Elektra: I actually began my career on the other side of the runway, as a model in major fashion hubs. That experience gave me an insider’s view of the industry, and I noticed that menswear often operated under a very narrow definition of strength, rigid, traditional, and emotionally closed off. I found this limiting and felt a need to challenge it. So, I pivoted toward design and honed my craft at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where I learned to merge fine art with technical innovation and even architectural principles.
I was honored to earn admission to Central Saint Martins in London, one of the world’s top fashion programs, which really validated my conceptual approach. All of these experiences led me to launch my own menswear line. Anastasia Elektra was born out of a desire to push the boundaries of menswear and create something truly different, something intellectually honest and structurally innovative that I couldn’t find elsewhere.
Interviewer: Your brand’s concept of the “Armor of Honesty” is intriguing. What inspired this philosophy and the idea of using paper as a core material?
Anastasia Elektra: The seed of Anastasia Elektra was planted by a very personal realization. My mission actually began with my father, like many men of his generation, who spent his life in a traditional suit that, symbolically, allowed for only one emotion: stoic resolve. I asked myself, How do you design a garment that gives a man permission to cry? I realized that true strength isn’t about putting on a hard shell to shut the world out; it’s about having the self-awareness and vulnerability to let the world in.
That question and revelation led to what I call the “Armor of Honesty.” I wanted to reinvent the idea of armor using a material that itself is honest and delicate. So I chose paper, something people see as fragile, and I engineered it into a rigid, protective form. By turning a material considered delicate (paper) into a structured shield, my garments challenge the wearer to find strength in vulnerability. In essence, the Armor of Honesty means each piece is designed to protect the wearer not by hiding their emotions, but by celebrating them. This philosophy drives everything I create, marrying emotional depth with structural design.
Interviewer: Your design process is literally architectural; you’re folding garments from paper instead of sewing fabric. How did you develop this unconventional approach, and what makes it unique in the fashion world?
Anastasia Elektra: I often say that I don’t sew structure into the cloth, I fold it out, and that line really captures my approach. My background in material science and architecture heavily influences how I construct clothing. Instead of draping and cutting fabric in the traditional way, I treat each garment like a building project.
I use proprietary, chemically-treated paper as my primary “fabric,” and every piece is shaped through precise geometric folding, very much inspired by origami and structural engineering principles. There are no conventional seams holding things up; the strength comes from the folds and form itself. The result is a kind of wearable architecture, garments that behave less like soft clothing and more like engineered sculptures. Every fold and angle is mapped out with mathematical precision, almost like an architectural blueprint, so the piece holds a three-dimensional shape.
This method sets my work apart from anything in the menswear market right now. While other avant-garde designers might deconstruct garments or play with drapery, I’m constructing garments in an entirely new way. I’ve essentially moved fashion into the realm of engineering. We’re selling material engineering as much as design, merging high-concept aesthetics with technical innovation, which means our pieces demand respect from both the fashion and science worlds. It’s been amazing to see that something as unconventional as folded paper clothing can not only stand up (literally and figuratively) but also invite people to rethink what clothing can be.
Interviewer: Innovation often comes with obstacles. What challenges have you faced in bringing this paper-based, architectural menswear vision to life, and how have you overcome them?
Anastasia Elektra: Oh, there were plenty of challenges in the beginning; we were essentially reinventing how to make a garment. The first big hurdle was technical: how to transform paper into something you could actually wear. Early prototypes were very rigid; they looked striking but weren’t exactly easy to move in. Paper isn’t a traditional clothing material, so it took intensive R&D to make it viable.
I collaborated with material engineers at SAIC and developed a proprietary chemical polymer treatment that makes the paper both water-resistant and flexible without losing its structure. We also built in subtle engineering solutions, like flexible wire frameworks and 3D-printed hinges at the joints of the garments, so they can move with the body instead of against it. Essentially, we turned each piece into a kinetic sculpture that a person can wear.
Another major challenge was perception. When you tell people you make luxury coats out of paper, you get a lot of raised eyebrows. Convincing high-end buyers and the fashion press that a paper garment could command a premium price (our coats cost in the ballpark of $2,500) was not easy. There was understandable skepticism about durability and value. We tackled that by shifting the narrative. We stopped talking about “paper clothing” and started talking about “wearable architecture” and “material engineering.” In other words, we highlight that you’re investing in an innovation, in a piece of design technology, not just a quirky material. That reframing, along with demonstrating the garments’ performance, for instance, showing that our treated paper can be doused in water and still hold its form, really helped change minds.
We also garnered features in business-oriented publications like Business Insider early on, which added credibility from a non-fashion perspective. And finally, there was the manufacturing challenge. Traditional garment factories couldn’t handle our processes, you can’t just send an origami coat down a typical production line. We solved this by keeping production very hands-on and local.
All our R&D and master folding is done in-house in Chicago, and we work with specialized micro-studios for any small-scale production. It’s a very controlled, low-volume approach. While that means each piece is essentially a limited-edition art object, it also ensures top quality and that the integrity of the design is never compromised. These solutions weren’t easy, but they allowed us to transform a wild concept into a functioning business without diluting the vision.
Interviewer: Sustainability is a major focus in fashion today. How does Anastasia Elektra approach sustainable and ethical design?
Anastasia Elektra: Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword for us; it’s built into the DNA of how we work. Because I use origami-style geometric folding to construct garments, we inherently produce zero waste in the cutting process. There’s no excess scrap material; every piece of the pattern fits together precisely by design. I also source materials in a very eco-conscious way; in fact, many of our paper substrates and other components are reclaimed or second-hand, giving new life to materials that might otherwise be discarded. And of course, the paper itself is a cellulose-based product, which is more recyclable and biodegradable than traditional textile blends.
Beyond the materials, I like to talk about “materiality” as much as sustainability. By that I mean the meaning behind the material. The choice of using paper is integral to the philosophy; it’s about honesty and challenging norms, so we focus on that narrative rather than just slapping a “sustainable” label on it. However, in practical terms, the entire process is very low-impact and ethical. We treat our studio almost like a lab for sustainable innovation.
In fact, we are researching next-generation solutions, such as bio-fabrication techniques to create even more eco-friendly paper-based textiles. The goal is to eventually develop a high-performance paper fabric that is 100% biodegradable, pushing our zero-waste ethos even further. In an industry rife with excess, I’m proud that our avant-garde concept is also inherently gentle on the environment. It’s fashion engineering with a conscience.
Interviewer: Since launching your brand, what have been some of the biggest highlights or milestones for you?
Anastasia Elektra: There have been a few moments I’m really proud of. Certainly, our Chicago Fashion Week debut this year was huge for me; seeing the “Chicago Architecture” collection come to life on the runway and actually resonate with the audience was incredible. That show immediately opened new doors: off the back of it, we received invitations to present at major platforms like Miami Fashion Week and Los Angeles Fashion Week. Knowing that organizers on other coasts saw our work and said, “We want this,” was a validating moment.
Another highlight has been the response from collectors and museums. Some of our key pieces have been acquired as art pieces, treated as investment-grade kinetic art, displayed on pedestals rather than worn. To have the art world appreciate the work in that way, at this intersection of fashion and sculpture, is very exciting.
On the business side, we launched an Architectural T-Shirt Collection as a more accessible entry point to our brand, and it has been a success in its own right. The t-shirts incorporate subtle folding and architectural graphics, nothing as elaborate as the paper coats, but they carry the same DNA. Seeing those sell well told me that the concept can resonate on a broader scale without compromising its integrity. It’s helped us engage a wider audience and build a community, all while funding the continued R&D for the high-concept pieces.
Personally, I also have to mention the honor of being admitted to Central Saint Martins. Even though I launched my brand in Chicago, knowing that my work was strong enough to earn a spot at such a prestigious program in London was a big confidence boost early on. Around that same time, we garnered press coverage in outlets like L’Officiel, Business Insider, and New York Weekly, which was surreal. As a new designer, having respected publications acknowledge your work is immensely rewarding. Each of these milestones, from academic recognition to press to runway success, reinforced that we’re on the right track, and they motivate me to keep innovating.
Interviewer: Looking forward, where do you see your brand in the next few years? What are your future goals for Anastasia Elektra?
Anastasia Elektra: In the next five years, I envision Anastasia Elektra evolving from a niche conceptual label into a globally recognized design house. We’ve already had interest from international fashion weeks, and my aim is to solidify that presence. I would love to secure a spot on the official Paris or Milan menswear calendar within the next three years, showing alongside the world’s best would not only be a dream come true, but it would also further legitimize this architectural approach to fashion on a global stage.
I’m also planning to take the concept itself global: our upcoming collections will draw inspiration from other cities around the world. For instance, I’m looking at the brutalist geometry of Berlin and the sustainable modernism of Copenhagen for future collection themes, translating those cities’ architectural languages into new menswear pieces. The idea is to show that the language of structure and honesty we’ve created in Chicago can resonate in any cultural context.
On the retail side, another goal is to expand our footprint. Right now, we’re mostly direct-to-consumer and by appointment, but I’d like to see our pieces in select avant-garde boutiques, think Dover Street Market or similar concept stores in key fashion capitals. It’s about making the work accessible in the right environments across North America, Europe, and Asia, without losing the exclusivity and artistry.
Equally important, I’m doubling down on innovation. We’re establishing an in-house material innovation lab, essentially a playground for experimenting with new materials and technologies. One focus is bio-fabrication: we’re researching advanced cellulose fibers and organic waste-based materials to develop a next generation of our paper that could be fully biodegradable.
Another area is integrating more technology into the garments, for example, using 3D printing for structural components like hinges, buckles, and joinery within the clothing. If we can print a lattice or joint that is custom-fitted and strong, it can enhance both the function and the aesthetic of our pieces. We’ll also continue to grow the Architectural T-shirt line into a stable, permanent collection of sculptural basics. That will serve as the financial backbone to support the high-end experimental work.
Ultimately, my biggest aspirations are cultural. I want Anastasia Elektra to help redefine what masculinity means in the context of fashion. I dream of a day when putting on one of our pieces, strapping yourself into an Armor of Honesty, is seen as a bold, empowering act for men, a statement that vulnerability and complexity are strengths, not weaknesses.
If, in a few years, the phrase “Armor of Honesty” becomes a recognized concept in menswear, symbolizing a shift toward emotional courage and authenticity, I would consider that our greatest accomplishment. And in the long run, I hope our brand can be remembered as one that permanently bridged fashion with architecture and material science. We want to prove that high-concept design and intellectual rigor have a place in the future of luxury fashion. That’s the legacy I’m working toward, not just making clothes, but influencing the paradigm of an entire industry.
In closing, Anastasia Elektra stands at the cutting edge of fashion innovation, fusing architectural precision with heartfelt philosophy. Shuoyi Chen’s mission to challenge norms, to turn fragility into strength and architecture into apparel, is redefining menswear one fold at a time. As she continues to blur the lines between runway and skyline, her work invites a new conversation about masculinity and design. Discover more about her avant-garde journey at anastasiaelektra.com and follow her on Instagram @anastasia_elektra_ to watch how she’s building the future of fashion, one paper garment at a time.