Fashion

Archival Toronto Founder Carl Chiang’s Helmut Lang Collection Has It


master mentalism tricks


Photography by Natasha Gerschon. Hair and makeup, Viktor Peters for P1M.ca

Carl Chiang’s fascination with sex and gender has led to an obsession with early Helmut Lang.

By Annika Lautens

Date November 26, 2021

Can you even call yourself a collector if you don’t break a few racks in the process? Not according to Philippine-born Carl Chiang, whose hefty Helmut Lang collection caused the poles in their walk-in wardrobe to collapse. “My partner and I were having dinner when I heard this terrible sound,” shares Chiang. “My first reaction wasn’t ‘How are we going to clean this up?’ or ‘The landlord is going to kill us.’ It was ‘Are any of my pieces damaged?’” After a similarly disastrous run-in with Ikea containers, the founder of fashion events and communications agency Archival Toronto has since learned their lesson: Their 130-piece hoard is now supported on industrial cylinders that can hold over 200 kilograms. “I’ve discovered that only metal pipes can sustain the weight,” they say.

Photography by Natasha Gerschon. Hair and makeup, Viktor Peters for P1M.ca

In a case of life imitating art, this intersection between style and practicality would be sure to make Lang proud — the designer is revered for pioneering the anti-luxury aesthetic of the ’90s. After launching his eponymous label in 1986, Lang garnered a cultlike status for his ability to blend military and minimalist designs with androgynous styles and bondage accents. He left his label in 2005, but his affinity for representing the LGBTQ+ community lives on through his work, which is what initially mesmerized Chiang. “When I was growing up, sex wasn’t something that you talked about in a conservative Filipino environment,” they reveal. “Many items in my collection lean into Lang’s BDSM references because to me, there is something superfun and supersexy about such a taboo subject. Fashion can bring these subcultures into the spotlight and challenge the heteronormativity of what sex looks like.”

Thanks to their mother’s love of designer accessories, Carl Chiang fostered a passion for fashion at an early age, culminating in their first Helmut Lang purchase — an army-green jacket from the 1999 Astro collection — in 2014. However, it wasn’t until two years (and a move to Canada) later that their obsession exploded as the more centralized location made it easier to connect with sellers and other Helmut Lang aficionados.

Chiang is a true historian. Their Helmut Lang knowledge is unparalleled; they are able to effortlessly identify the year, season and inspiration behind each item in their closet. They take their role as a curator quite seriously, collecting both menswear and womenswear that play significant roles in Lang’s legacy. “I’ve never collected based on what I can wear,” reveals Chiang. “It’s mostly what I think was important to the designer and fun. So if I see a piece from an iconic runway look, I take it regardless of its size or gender.”

Still, Carl Chiang insists that the message behind the creations, not the actual garments, fuels their Helmut Lang love affair. The designer’s balance between being referential and humorous makes his clothing a staple in Chiang’s closet. “What continues to strike me is not the construction of his pieces but his ability to communicate an artistic vision,” they say. “It’s his expressionism through fashion that I love.”

IN HARNESS

“It gives you a kind of subversive sexiness,” says Chiang of this knit harness. “If you were just wearing this piece and nothing else, it would be very provocative and revealing. But juxtaposing it with a nice button-down subverts that, and that’s what makes Helmut Lang really fun.”

MAMA KNOWS BEST

“I grew up loving bags because my mom was obsessed with them,” shares Chiang. “She actually replicated the closet from the Sex and the City movie, and it’s filled with accessories. So a lot of my collection consists of purses because I grew up around them.

HEDI HEART

“Lang heavily influenced Hedi Slimane’s time at Dior Homme, and that’s where I was first exposed to Lang’s work,” says Chiang of this book, which features a letter Slimane wrote to the designer early in their careers.

CHAMPIONS

Chiang applauds not only Lang’s subversion of
gender norms but also his referential designs.
“This silver belt is supposed to resemble a
championship belt found in wrestling,” says
Chiang. “So it’s really fun to see him playing with
the hyper-masculinity of the sport.

VARIETY STORE

With pieces ranging from handcuff bracelets to valet-inspired key rings, Chiang’s carefully curated assortment of accessories truly exemplifies the scope of Lang’s work.

RED HERRING

Chiang has several womenswear garments from Helmut Lang, including this red vest, which they bought for their mom to wear when she visits from the Philippines. What makes it a particular favourite, besides the family connection? “It comes with a built-in travel pillowcase around the collar,” says Chiang.

FIRED UP

This blouse is a rare eBay find; it’s one of the few items that survived the Helmut Lang studio fire in 2010. Chiang says they’re very lucky to have found it: “There are samples that no one will ever see because they were destroyed.”

50 SHADES

“I usually dress monochromatically, but I also like presenting myself in a very clean way,” shares the collector — hence this all-black all-Helmut Lang ensemble.

This article first appeared in FASHION’s Winter 2022 issue.

Read The Full Article Here


trick photography
Kayleigh McEnany Shares Video Of Protesters Blocking Mother From Work
Kayleigh McEnany Shares Video Of Protesters Blocking Mother From Work
James Franco Celebrates Dave Franco’s 40th Birthday in Public Appearance
James Franco Celebrates Dave Franco’s 40th Birthday in Public Appearance
Julia Stiles Shared What Julia Roberts Once Said To Her When She Was Struggling With Body Image, And It's Wisdom I Needed
Julia Stiles Shared What Julia Roberts Once Said To Her When She Was Struggling With Body Image, And It's Wisdom I Needed
Michael Shellenberger Exposes How Biden Administration Labeled Anti-Mandate Americans As Terrorists
Michael Shellenberger Exposes How Biden Administration Labeled Anti-Mandate Americans As Terrorists
‘Spaceballs 2’ Is Happening, With Mel Brooks as Yogurt
‘Spaceballs 2’ Is Happening, With Mel Brooks as Yogurt
Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 3 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch
Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 3 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch
Highest Grossing Movies Released Memorial Day Weekend
Highest Grossing Movies Released Memorial Day Weekend
Woman and Child – first-look review
Woman and Child – first-look review
Taylor Blackwell Guests On “If These Walls Could Talk” With Hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss Wednesday, July 9th, 2025 
Taylor Blackwell Guests On “If These Walls Could Talk” With Hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss Wednesday, July 9th, 2025 
Brett Goldstein ‘All of You’ Movie Cast, Release Date on Apple TV+
Brett Goldstein ‘All of You’ Movie Cast, Release Date on Apple TV+
What to Watch and Stream the Week of May 25, 2025
What to Watch and Stream the Week of May 25, 2025
Stars Tease Intense Mystery and New Department Dynamics (Exclusive)
Stars Tease Intense Mystery and New Department Dynamics (Exclusive)
Mechatok Announces Debut Album, Taps Ecco2k and Bladee for New Video: Watch
Mechatok Announces Debut Album, Taps Ecco2k and Bladee for New Video: Watch
Jody Blaine Watson’s “Living It Up Down in Mexico” Brings Country Vibes to the Coastline
Jody Blaine Watson’s “Living It Up Down in Mexico” Brings Country Vibes to the Coastline
Justin Bieber Makes Onstage Return With SZA In Los Angeles
Justin Bieber Makes Onstage Return With SZA In Los Angeles
8 Most Cringeworthy Rock + Metal Songs About Sports
8 Most Cringeworthy Rock + Metal Songs About Sports
“The Ghostwriter” Masterfully Blends Family Drama and Murder Mystery
“The Ghostwriter” Masterfully Blends Family Drama and Murder Mystery
Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for May 24, 2025
Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for May 24, 2025
Loved Netflix’s “Ransom Canyon”? Here’s 8 Western Novels to Keep You in the Saddle
Loved Netflix’s “Ransom Canyon”? Here’s 8 Western Novels to Keep You in the Saddle
The Buzziest Books of May | 2025
The Buzziest Books of May | 2025
How To Lay Your Edges, According To A Celeb Hair Stylist
How To Lay Your Edges, According To A Celeb Hair Stylist
What to Wear to Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball Tour
What to Wear to Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball Tour
Nikki Glaser Told Us 3 No-Fail Tricks for an Instant Glow-Up
Nikki Glaser Told Us 3 No-Fail Tricks for an Instant Glow-Up
21 Best Memorial Day Clothing Sales 2025
21 Best Memorial Day Clothing Sales 2025
THE LEGACY LIVES ON: ANDREW PIERSON CAST AS WILLIAM SPANNER IN WITCHCRAFT 17
THE LEGACY LIVES ON: ANDREW PIERSON CAST AS WILLIAM SPANNER IN WITCHCRAFT 17
Filming Begins for Dragon Studio’s Return of the Living Dead: Trash’s Revenge
Filming Begins for Dragon Studio’s Return of the Living Dead: Trash’s Revenge
UNTIL DAWN (2025) – Peliculas de Terror ⋆
UNTIL DAWN (2025) – Peliculas de Terror ⋆
FOUND TV Announces FOUND Original with Alternate Ending Only on DVD/Blu-ray
FOUND TV Announces FOUND Original with Alternate Ending Only on DVD/Blu-ray