Penultimate is a collection of wearable art, designed in Shanghai by Xiang Gao. Born and raised in Wenzhou, China, Gao completed her master’s degree at Parsons School of Design and gained valuable experience working under Raf Simons at Calvin Klein 205W39NYC. In 2018, she launched Penultimate in New York. Celebrating craftsmanship, Gao draws inspiration from her Chinese heritage and American experiences, employing mixed-material assemblage techniques reminiscent of the 1970s Wearable Art movement. In fusing found materials with modern silhouettes, Gao creates imaginative capsule collections at a slow and steady pace. Every piece has its own story. Penultimate was selected as a semi-finalist for the LVMH Prize 2025.
