Sean Pan ’17 Curates Style Aesthetic Through Architecture
By Michelle Jeon
Inspired by famous British architect Zaha Hadid’s distinctive architecture, Sean Pan ’17 constructed a scarf composed of white, twisted geometric shapes as part of his work while interning with Hadid two summers ago. While developing his passion for architecture with Hadid, Pan found that he was able to develop his own clothing style.
“I think Zaha’s architecture is definitely very fluid and very organic,” said Pan. “It tries to break the norm of your classic rectangular box or spheres and it explores the different shapes that today’s technology can create. Her buildings have this kind of curvature that is very unique and [unprecedented] and that kind of rarity in design is what I’m interested in.”
Pan’s interest in architecture stemmed from his parents introducing him to many artists, designers, and architects when he was younger. The simple color and pattern in his clothing reflects his understanding of minimalistic architecture.
“I take away the simplicity of architecture and incorporate it into my style. With architecture, you can’t really do much with it because it has to be inhabitable. Through architecture, I guess I realized that, sometimes, less is more and having less of something can reflect even more of what you were originally trying to convey,” said Pan.
Hadid and many other architects’ structural concepts have impacted Pan’s everyday fashion. One of Pan’s favorite shoes is his pair of Common Projects Achilles Low sneakers, which he loves for their material even more than their design.
“[The sneakers are] just a very simplistic design but the focus is on the material of it which is just like this really nice leather throughout the shoe. I think that reflects my interest in architecture because the way it looks isn’t as important as the materials or the structure that goes on behind the scenes,” said Pan.
Pan has also been able to derive much of his original style through his relationship with his brother.
“I think [our relationship] has inspired myself to become more individualistic and has also impacted my brother,” said Pan. “It has showed both of us that through fashion we can achieve aesthetic success without the imitation of other [people].”
Luc Pan ’19 Highlights Style Through Hype-Wear
By Adrienne Li
Adapting his outfit to the chilly weather, Luc Pan ’19 matched his casual look of navy joggers and a popular Anti Social Social Club white hoodie with a pair of multicolored running shoes.
“I don’t think I have a specific style. I just wear whatever’s in the closet and looks good. It’s not influenced specifically by a culture, like Chinese or American. I don’t really believe in that. It’s just whatever you’re into. That’s you,” said Pan. “It’s hard to describe because there’s no specific formula that everyone follows. It’s more based off of your own thinking or your own style.”
Coming to Andover from China, Pan has slipped seamlessly into a new element and easily expresses himself through his clothes. He draws inspiration from hip-hop artists he admires, like Kanye West and Drake, and Pan is also inspired by his brother, who distinctly shows his passion for art and architecture in his style, and outfit ideas he sees online.
“[My style] just came naturally,” said Pan. “I used to live in China, where at school you had to wear school uniforms, so it’s all based off of one specific code. But here, there’s a lot more freedom, and I think I’ve gotten to exercise that freedom pretty well. My brother introduced me to most of this stuff. He would go online and show me a bunch of these websites… so a lot of this is based off of him.”
With a keen eye, Pan hunts around online for rare deals and clothing that suits his fashion. In particular, he focuses on shoes and hype-wear, trending clothing pieces, as a self-proclaimed “hypebeast.” He also enjoys visiting stores near his home in New York for exclusive pieces.
“I live in New York and there’s this store called Kith. [There’s] some pretty cool stuff there,” said Pan. “I like Kith because everything I go there, it looks like an art exhibition with their clothes displayed in a certain type of way. Also, the feeling that I get in there is very positive. Everyone is dressed well [and has] good spirit.”
