PRIVATE POLICY was born in downtown New York—not just geographically, but ideologically. Designed by Haoran Li and Siying Qu, the brand exists at the intersection of activism and fashion, crafting collections that reflect the complexity of identity in a world that’s constantly shifting. At its core, PRIVATE POLICY is a label grounded in community—a label that sees clothes as a tool for conversation.
The brand has become known for its genderless silhouettes and utilitarian sensibility, but there’s more beneath the surface: each collection is shaped by a social topic, whether it's systemic injustice, environmental urgency, or the ever-evolving language of queerness. Their garments, often featuring tactical elements, sharp tailoring, and fluid draping, feel both of-the-moment and deeply personal—an open invitation to self-expression, outside of binaries.
What makes PRIVATE POLICY resonate is its authenticity. The brand isn’t chasing trends or making vague gestures toward inclusivity—it’s part of a generation of designers who are actually living the values they reflect in their work. Their commitment to sustainability is matched by their commitment to storytelling, with each piece offering a kind of wearable thesis on where fashion can (and should) go next.
In a landscape increasingly saturated with aesthetics, PRIVATE POLICY offers a point of view.
The Devil Is Here
New York, Fall 2024 — For Spring/Summer 2025, PRIVATE POLICY, led by Haoran Li and Siying Qu, debuts The Devil Is Here, a collection that rigorously interrogates the lingering aftershocks of 2000s workplace culture—and its uneasy dance with today’s AI driven anxieties.
Loosely inspired by the iconic “office siren” energy of The Devil Wears Prada—a reference that opens the narrative on runway with Theodore Shapiro’s now memorable score—Li and Qu revisit Y2K aesthetics through a distinctly modern lens. The collection unfurls in two acts: one rooted in the mundane rhythms of the office—clock ins, cubicles, clacking keyboards—then disrupted by garments that erupt with rebellion and ambition.
Tailored yet charged, the collection’s vegan leather coats in deep burgundy and classic black serve as foundational pieces—paired with jeans, crisp button downs, and utility totes reimagined in cargo green and khaki brown, outfitted with strategic pockets to store daily essentials. These serve less as uniform and more as armor for the 9 to 5 and beyond.
The palette—baby blue, black, burgundy—is punctuated by utilitarian accents and checkerboard whispers of romantic Y2K floral prints. Proportions play with power: pleated skirts, micro-shorts, oversized blazers, and sleek silhouettes converge in unexpected pairings—a purposeful challenge to formality, gender, and the quiet dread of the cubicle.
At its heart, The Devil Is Here isn’t a revival. It's a conversation—about ambition, conformity, creativity, and the disquiet provoked by AI’s rise in the workplace. By blending nostalgic motifs with subversive modernity, PRIVATE POLICY begs the question: can fashion be both uniform and freedom? Efficiency-driven yet human? Ordered yet raw?
For SS25, PRIVATE POLICY sends a clear message: in the office of tomorrow, style is more than appearance—it’s resistance.
