Private Policy Fall '17 Inspired by Polycephaly, the Condition of Having Two Heads

Globalization was at the forefront of Private Policy's presentation this week, delivering a collection that spoke to the relationships between countries as being rooted in connectivity, not division--though our current political climate certainly thrives off separatism.

For fall '17, designer duo Siying Qu and Haoran Li began by creating a full look using flags of enemy countries and sewing them together into one flattened fabric. This practice provoked an investigation of polycephaly--the rare condition of having two heads--and inspired Private Policy to create a full range centered on physical unity.

"Globalization has really passed the stage of just being neighbors," Qu said. "We actually have all become conjoined twins. We cannot just shut the door to our twin--we're connected and inseparable, so from there we translated that idea into clothes with double layers and snap closures."

The streetwear brand's manifestation of polycephaly was seen throughout, in classic jackets with snaps to reveal a second skin, cropped jeans with velvet paneling (as if two different pants were joined together), and updated convertible sweats. Elements of previous seasons were brought back for fall '17, including Private Policy's signature bomber and baseball cap--two staples that "define classic New York," according to Li.

"Today, politics are not just something we see in the news," Qu said. "This isn't big or far away from us anymore--they actually influence our everyday lives and we care more than ever, because it can affect our daily life and friends. With social media and the Internet, we always see other people suffering, or being happy, and we're more touched by that now than ever."

Photography: Glenn Garner