Untitlab® has always been a brand known for pushing boundaries, but their Spring/Summer 2025 performance took the brand to a new level, staging an atmospheric plunge into the depths of human desire and its unrelenting tension with fulfilment. Staged in a dark, fog-filled room with chains suspended from the ceiling and an eerie, ambient soundscape, set the tone for an intense meditation on desire, death, and the rebirth of sensuality—themes Untitlab® explored in both their designs and their storytelling.
Photo by Yiling Zhao
The brand’s press release referenced the French philosopher Georges Bataille’s work Erotism: Death and Sensuality, using his evocative language to guide the audience through the emotional and psychological underpinnings of the collection:
“How sweet it is to gaze long upon the object of our desire, to live on in our desire, instead of dying by going the whole way, by yielding to the excessive violence of desire! We know that possession of the object we are a fire for is out of the question. It is one thing or another: either desire will consume us entirely, or its object will cease to fi re us with longing. We can possess it on one condition only, that gradually the desire it arouses will fade. Better for desire to die than for us to die, though! We can make do with an illusion. If we possess its object we shall seem to achieve our desire without dying. Not only do we renounce death, but also we let our desire, really the desire to die, lay hold of its object and we keep it while we live on. We enrich our life instead of losing it.”
Untitlab® is one of those brands that feels less like a label and more like an art collective. Launched in 2019, its name pulls from that intriguing moment when artists leave their works “untitled,” acknowledging that what they’ve created refuses to be boxed in or simplified. That same spirit of experimentation pulses through untitlab®’s approach to footwear and accessories. The brand’s designers pull from their backgrounds, environments, and use cutting-edge materials to craft bold, unconventional silhouettes. But what really sets them apart is their multi-disciplinary approach to storytelling. Untitlab® isn’t just about the shoes; it’s about the multimedia experience — performances, music, video, and imagery — that conveys their take on everything from power dynamics and beauty standards to the fluidity of gender and the fragility of the human condition. Each piece is an invitation to reinterpret and redefine, making the wearer an active participant in the narrative.
Drawing from untitlab®'s adventurous ethos, the SS25 collection immerses itself in themes of exploration and boundary-breaking. With vibrant colours and dynamic shapes, it encapsulates a powerful sense of freedom. This season, we’re pushing the limits of innovative craftsmanship by collaborating with the eco-friendly British wool brand Cloudwool to introduce mule bags and slip-ons, alongside HILOS Studio for fully recyclable 3D-printed shoes. We’re also thrilled to partner with artist *toooomyng for the inflatable rubber Reel Boots, adding an artistic twist to our offerings. In a bold reimagining of formal wear, we’ve integrated sneakers into our new Helix thick-soled racing shoe series and Malar Boots, both made with cutting-edge overall embossing technology. Each piece is designed not just to be worn but to inspire a lifestyle of exploration and creativity.
Presentation credits:
Concept and directed: Nicolas Tian
Music composition:Oscar B.Morgan
Choreography: Lewis Walker
Rehearsal Director: Courtney Deyn
Performers: Alex Thirkle and Andrew Lennox Scott
Campaign credits:
Art Direction: Nicolas Tian
Styling: Orch Leong
Hair and MUA: Wendi Liu
Talent: Han Zhang, Yang Yang
Light: Mu
Styling Assistant: Levi, Suki
Production: Pyogi Public
