MARKGONG explores the irrational side of falling in love with its Spring Summer 2027 collection, “Til We’re Us,” the second chapter of the brand’s ongoing Urban Love narrative. This season follows the Gong Girl through infatuation, anticipation and heartbreak, revealing a more vulnerable side of a character previously defined by confidence and control. Drawing from designer Mark Gong’s personal experiences, the collection translates these emotional shifts into a new approach to color, silhouette and texture.
INTERVIEWS
Pastel shades of mint green, pink and purple introduce a softer direction, while lace, sequins, feathers and sheer tulle shape the collection’s romantic character. The runway presentation unfolds along a pink corridor, accompanied by a soundtrack that follows the Gong Girl’s changing emotions. Beneath the collection’s playful appearance, Gong explores the uncertainty of attraction and the ways personal feelings can influence how someone dresses and presents themselves.
In an exclusive interview with DSCENE, Mark Gong discusses the personal experiences behind Spring Summer 2027, the creative process that shaped the collection and the evolving identity of the Gong Girl. He also reflects on unexpected design decisions and the relationship between fashion, emotion and personal expression.
What made you want to explore the irrational side of falling in love this season?
It really came from something I was going through in my own life. When you actually fall for someone, your emotions and your judgment aren’t always rational, so it felt very natural for me to bring that into the collection.
How much of this season’s story comes from your own experiences with love and obsession?
One hundred percent.
In my head, the collection was always very colorful and sweet, but with this feeling of heartbreak underneath it.
What was the first piece you designed for this collection, and how did it influence everything that followed?
I think it was the sequin lace Opening Look.
At the beginning, I wanted to create something that felt sexy but also had this nightlife energy. The image in my head was very specific: a girl getting dressed up really sweet and going out clubbing because she wants to catch someone’s attention. I never ended up describing it publicly as a “club look,” but that was definitely one of the earliest starting points for the collection.
After that, I kept listening to Olivia Rodrigo’s new album over and over again, really paying attention to the lyrics and how each song made me feel in that moment. I mixed those emotions with what I was experiencing in my own life and just kept imagining from there.
In my head, the collection was always very colorful and sweet, but with this feeling of heartbreak underneath it.
What was the most unexpected decision you made while creating the collection?
Not using any leather at all. That was probably the most unexpected decision for me.
Which look from the collection reveals the most about you personally?
I think a lot of the looks represent different sides of me.
There are a lot of shifts and different phases throughout the collection, and they reflect how my feelings and emotions changed at different points. For me, it’s not really about one single look saying everything. You have to see the whole collection together.
The music, the styling, the colors, even the way the models walk all have a reason behind them. Everything changes along with the emotion.
How has your relationship with the Gong Girl changed as you’ve continued developing her character?
She is me, and I am her.
The music, the styling, the colors, even the way the models walk all have a reason behind them. Everything changes along with the emotion.
Was there anything you wanted to introduce into this collection that initially felt out of character for the Gong Girl?
Actually, there are quite a few things in this collection that the Gong Girl probably wouldn’t have worn before.
But that’s what made this season interesting to me. She isn’t someone who stays the same forever. She goes through new things and moves into different phases of her life, so this collection felt very fresh for me.
Is there a side of MARKGONG that you feel audiences still haven’t really seen yet?
They’ll just have to wait and see how my story unfolds.
