MARRKNULL | Neo Dig Mode #213
Creative PR hiroko's new series exploring fashion.
Neo Dig Mode #213 features MARRKNULL, founded in Beijing in 2016 by Wang Wei and Tim Shi. Combining knit and architectural structure, it approaches fashion as a reflection of everyday observation and urban life. Let’s explore the perspectives guiding their work.
Knit and Structure
Wang and Tim first met while studying art before university. Their paths diverged — Wang focused on knit design at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Tim on architecture at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. When they later reconnected, their sensibilities aligned, forming a lasting collaboration.
The name MARRKNULL stems from Wang’s nickname, “Mark,” with “null” added to signify openness and possibility — an absence that became part of the brand’s identity.
Each collection begins with broad conceptual ideas that gradually crystallize into fabrics, structures, and details. Their central challenge is navigating the space between experimentation and completion — allowing ideas to remain fluid while shaping them into resolved garments.
Tim approaches design through structure and spatial thinking, while Wang focuses on fabric, technique, and visual language. Together, these perspectives form a quiet balance.
Everyday Observations
MARRKNULL approaches fashion as a lens through which to observe contemporary Chinese life. Rather than referencing tradition directly, the brand reflects the contradictions and overlaps that define modern identity — past and present, global and local, personal and collective.
One emblematic design is the hanger bag — a garment-shaped bag suspended on a hanger. The piece draws from urban scenes, where clothes drying along balconies and alleyways form unintentional compositions of fabric and color.
For Wang and Tim, inspiration often begins with ordinary moments. Their practice transforms the language of the everyday into forms that feel newly imagined, without losing their origin.
MARRKNULL avoids being confined by inherited images of Chinese culture, opening space for a contemporary expression that remains deliberately unfinished.
For more on MARRKNULL, head over to their website.
words: hiroko