Best Wardrobes in Britain: Patricia Zhou

Stepping into Patricia Zhou's East London home, the satellite Who What Wear UK team and I found ourselves bathed in warm golden-hour light, in part due to the soft sheen of the floor-to-ceiling wood panelling that her apartment is decked out in. Her design-led home, which she shares with her partner, evokes a '90s modernist loft-style feeling and makes for the perfect backdrop to her eclectic soft furnishings, knick-knacks from her travels and of course, her growing wardrobe.

Both her home and wardrobe tell of her extensive worldly travels and dance profession, from her times at the Kirov Academy Ballet in Washington, D.C., The Staatsballett in Berlin, all the way to L.A. Dance Project in California. She decided to depart from company life in 2019 to pursue her own solo ambitions and creative pursuits. Patricia has since choreographed and directed her own short films (check out "Orange Tree" here), and has movement-directed for clients such as Rodarte, Flannels and Nike, leading her to become an established tastemaker and brand ambassador for a burgeoning list of luxury, sport and fashion labels. Although she comes from a ballet background, she looks to apply a contemporary lens to classical techniques, and through her films, teaching and work in the fashion landscape, she hopes to bring the joy of movement to a bigger audience and grow awareness of dance as a storytelling medium.

Fresh from a class she teaches at Danceworks Studios in London, Patricia tours us around her home, whilst modeling her favourite wardrobe pieces and go-to looks, backed by a playlist of '80s synth bangers, '90s house classics and contemporary pop (she's a big Dua Lipa fan). We chat about her foray into the fashion sphere and how it has neatly dovetailed with her rising profile in the ballet and performance scene.

Thank you for having us, Patricia!

Patricia wears a Mithridate shirt, Marine Serre bodysuit, Puma Speedcat Satin Ballet Sneakers, Molly Goddard bag, COMPLETEDWORKS earrings and Adanola trousers.

You grew up between Canada and the United States. How did these places influence your style?

I mainly grew up in the States, as I only lived in Canada until I was four. I spent most summers in China as well. The town I grew up in was a small township in Michigan. Very suburban. I’m not sure if it did influence my style as much as it made me realise that I didn’t quite fit in. I tended to want to wear different things, whilst everyone else there wore the same: Hollister jeans and UGG boots with The North Face fleeces. That was all the rage back then.

When school was out for summer, my sister and I would travel to Beijing and hang out with our family there. One of my favourite parts was getting to go shopping at these old-school wholesale shopping centres that used to be more prevalent around Beijing in the '90s. I remember buying some sparkly hot pink jeans, although mainly I’d spend my time choosing Hello Kitty pens and stationery for the next school year. When I got back to school, I remember feeling too self-conscious to wear the fun jeans. It wasn’t "cool" to stick out then.

You then went on to reside in Washington D.C., LA, Berlin and now London. What style tips, tricks or aesthetics have you picked up or noticed in these cities, and are there any you've incorporated into your day-to-day wardrobe?

That’s a tough question! I actually don’t think I really found "my" style until a few years ago, so it's hard to say. Having been told what my style was by my mom from when I was a kid, to then adapting to each city I lived in and trying to blend in, meant that I didn’t really have a chance to try different things for myself and style pieces that I genuinely wanted to wear until relatively recently. I think especially in Berlin, it was kind of looked down upon to wear anything too fancy or look like you made an effort, with most people preferring to dress practically or sticking to black jeans, t-shirts and Adidas trainers, so I appreciate that in London, individuality is encouraged and that people don’t think twice about wearing unique clothing as a way of expressing themselves.

In L.A., people drive everywhere, so there’s not much of a culture of street style as there is in walking cities like NYC or London, so I wouldn’t say I was that inspired by the style I saw [day to day], but I do love the old Americana style of cowboy boots and fringe that’s quite prevalent in the areas around L.A. One thing I remember from when I moved to London was how immediately struck I was by [the number of] people you see on a daily basis. Whether it’s on the street, on the tube or literally anywhere else you might be. It reminded me of how important it was for me to see other people and how they dressed themselves, and to be inspired by that.

Patricia wears a JW Anderson top, UOOYAA jeans, Maison Margiela shoes, Coach bag, Chanel bag charms and earrings.

What's your earliest fashion memory?

When I was about six years old, my godmother gifted me this little fluffy grey coat that I adored. I remember how excited I was to receive it and how much I loved wearing it. My parents were a lot more frugal with their money when I was growing up and preferred to spend on education rather than things like clothes, so it was one of my most prized possessions, and growing out of it was heartbreaking!

If we looked through your wardrobe, what could we expect to find?

A lot of dancewear and button-up tops that I like to wear wrapped around my waist when I teach. Those are the items that I wear on a daily basis, so they take up a significant amount of space. At the moment, I also have about four wedding dresses in my wardrobe, taking up prime real estate, but usually it's chock full of fun dresses and eveningwear. I feel like I’m drawn to fun pieces over practical, everyday items, so my closet definitely reflects that. It can be tricky if I’m just trying to find something to wear to the pub, as I don’t own many basic staples, but if you were to invite me to a red-carpet movie premiere tomorrow, I’d have loads of outfit options at the ready!

As my mom always said to me growing up, "It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed." I think I took that adage too much to heart; I once found myself on a countryside hike in a pair of pleather trousers. Not my finest moment, but what can I say—I’m drawn to the over-the-top; the sequins, the feathers, the glamour!

Which clothing brands best represent your style, and how has this changed since you were younger?

I have to admit that I'm drawn to Chanel; the mix of elegant and playful pieces in [the] collections makes it such a wearable brand, and the accessories are always so on point. I also love Shushu/Tong and the Chinese brand UOOYAA. Their clothes are so unique. Speaking of unique, I adore Schiaparelli. The clothes always take you on a journey, and each piece feels like an experience. Sometimes I think we forget that clothes can really tell a story, even though they’re non-verbal, just like dance, in a way.

Some of my other favourites are Jacquemus, Tods, Cecilie Bahnsen, Simone Rocha, Coperni, Miu Miu and of course, Alaïa. They all have quite a strong sense of silhouette and the unexpected. I’m a huge fan of Jonathan Anderson, so I'm really excited to see what he does at Dior. When I was younger, the extent of my fashion knowledge was Abercrombie, so I’d say my style has definitely evolved!

Patricia wears a Chanel two-piece, bag and shoes.

How does hair and beauty play into how you choose to experiment with your look?

I do think hair and makeup are integral parts of any outfit, so if I’m wearing something that already has a lot going on, I think it's best to keep the hair and makeup as natural as possible, so it's not competing. If I want the focus to be more on the beauty, I opt to do a bit less with the outfit and accessories. I’m a classic Libra through and through, always looking for balance! At the moment, I’ve got a short wolf cut which I adore as it complements both girly pieces and masculine styles and is relatively easy to style.

Beauty-wise, I’ve been experimenting with coloured eyeliners. There’s something very playful about matching a graphic liner to an element of an outfit, so I like to throw that in the mix every so often for a pop of colour. Lastly, no outfit in my book is complete without a bit of fragrance. I prefer to wear different scents depending on the vibe of what I’m wearing and how I want to feel. Presently, some of my favourites are Naive by Documents (a Chinese brand), Vine Thief by Liberty LBTY. Fragrance and Afternoon Delight by Maison Margiela Replica. They’re all a bit sweet and summery in an unexpected way. It’s the perfect finishing touch.

As a professional ballet dancer, what part do dance and choreography play in how you curate your wardrobe?

Apart from the fact that my closet is 50% exercise clothes and T-shirts, I think it really affects my closet curation! If I’m working on a certain piece or production, I tend to be drawn towards pieces that fit the character I’m portraying. For example, I played the Sugar Plum Fairy a couple of years ago in a jazz reimagining of The Nutcracker at the Southbank Centre, and for months, most of my closet was just different shades of purple and full of sparkle. From a silvery-purple satin minidress from Serena Bute to a fully sequined lilac jumpsuit from Siedres, I never enjoyed wearing a singular colour so much! It made me realise that I love nothing more than what I can only call "method dressing". In that way, it’s extra exciting when I take on a new role, because just think of all the clothes!

Who's on your list of all-time style icons?

Dua Lipa! My queen. Everything she wears is just so fabulous. I always dreamt of being a pop star when I was young, so I could wear crazy outfits. I still kind of do! But seriously, from her on-stage looks to holiday outfits, it's all just very "her", and I love how you can really feel Dua’s personality from her outfit choices. In a world of quiet luxury, be a Dua!

Patricia wears an Alémais top and skirt, Tod’s shoes and bag, Chopard watch and Heaven Mayhem earrings.

You’re a dancer, teacher, movement director and model. How does what you wear change for each of these roles and take you from classes to shoots, meetings and dinner?

I generally wear yoga pants and exercise tops, as they're the easiest to throw on if I’m running out the door and headed out for a long day at the studio. Shoe-wise, I love a ballet flat or ballerina sneaker, and I generally think a nice bag can make any outfit look considered, even if you’re in workout clothes, so I love a leather carry-all. I'll usually throw an oversized, striped button-up shirt or a jacket over what I’m wearing if I’ve got other bits on, but I think most of my clients know that I’m juggling a lot, so I don’t feel pressured to get super dressed-up for meetings anymore.

If I’m going to dinner in the evening, I'll usually bring a change of clothes, something that doesn’t wrinkle too easily, like [a pair of] Pleats Please Issey Miyake [trousers] or jeans and a fluffy cardigan. If I want to make more of an effort, a simple dress and ballet flats matched with a chic bag is my go-to.

When did you realise what you wanted to do as a career, and was it an easy decision?

I think my career has been very non-linear. It’s actually been over 18 years of realising my dreams. I decided at 13 that I wanted to pursue ballet professionally, which is quite late for ballet, but quite young for most other callings. It was then that I moved away from my family to attend boarding school and went through very rigorous training at the prestigious Kirov Academy of Ballet, which was then the satellite school of the Vaganova school in Saint Petersburg. All of our teachers were Russian—extremely strict—and most days ended in tears!

It’s so wild to think back on the experience now, although I love those teachers dearly to this day and credit them for instilling in me not only my love for classical ballet but also for classical music and art in general. I do find it crazy to think that I made such a big decision when I was so young, but I’ve been blessed to find the confidence to reassess and re-evaluate what I wanted to pursue with time.

After working in companies for over eight years, I realised that what I craved and needed was my freedom. I still love ballet so much, but I think having the ability to [pursue] a non-traditional career like I have has allowed me to keep that passion and develop it in different ways. I’d say now that I love ballet even more than I did before, because I do it for myself and my enjoyment. Everything else that comes because of it, like the performances and accolades, just feels like the cherry on top of an already beautiful sundae.

What one outfit can you rely on and know you'll feel the most confident and beautiful in?

A suit or a co-ord—anything matching. I always feel put-together in a set and confident to take anything on. I guess it’s the power-suit effect, isn’t it? I love that it takes quite minimal effort to put together, but that it’s a look that quite literally "suits" most occasions.

Patricia wears a Diane von Furstenberg dress, Mansur Gavriel shoes, vintage Gucci watch, Tea & Tequila necklace, Mango earrings and bag from a Mexico City flea market.

What's your proudest "pinch me" moment?

The first time I saw my cover for Hello! Fashion in person. Growing up in America in the '90s, I never saw Asians onscreen or on the covers of magazines, so it never felt like something that could ever happen to me. The only Chinese adults I knew were all engineers or doctors, since those were seen as the only acceptable occupations. It made me so proud to know that I’m representing creatives and artists of Chinese heritage and showing little Asian girls that they can be and achieve whatever they desire, whether that’s being a performer, choreographer, director or all three!

When you set about starting a new project, whether that be a performance, prepping a class or ideating for a film, where does the initial inspiration come from?

My inspirations come from everywhere, but mainly, I draw from my life and music. I love to tell stories through my dancing and my films, so what better place to pull from than my own experiences? For example, my first film, Little Treasure, started with just three gestures and Camille Saint-Saëns’s "The Dying Swan". The touching piece of music became the perfect vehicle for me to tell my late grandfather’s story and showed me how fulfilling it could be to [turn] something that I had ideated into [a] concrete [piece of work] that I could share with others. No words could describe how it felt to be able to watch something on a screen that I had imagined in my head for so long. It was an incredibly special gift. And then to see how much such a personal story of mine resonated with others was really unbelievably moving.

Who have been some of your favourite women in the industry to work with, and what did you learn from them?

There are actually very, very few women in the industry, especially in leadership positions! It’s quite shocking! I hadn’t even realised it until eight years into my career as a professional dancer. I had this realisation whilst working with one of my now mentors, Katherine Helen Fisher, on this immersive dance performance called Linear Sympathy that used photography and videography alongside projections and a live saxophone player to create a looping performance that delved into repetition, variation and the idea of the "gaze".

It dawned upon me at that time just how easy it was to work with her and how collaborative she was. She was able to direct me whilst also giving me the freedom to find my way. That was when I was like, "Is this the first time I’ve worked with a female choreographer?!" It struck me as so odd. I couldn’t believe it! But it made perfect sense as well. Up until that point, I had never imagined choreographing or directing. It wasn't something I had dreamt of for my career; I thought I would just dance forever in a company, be told what to do, when to do it and be happy with that. I understand now that I couldn’t have envisioned it for myself because I hadn’t seen it around me. That’s why I think it’s so important for someone like me to exist in the space that I do, even if it’s just to show others what's possible for them.

Patricia wears a Diane von Furstenberg dress, Mansur Gavriel shoes, vintage Gucci watch, Tea & Tequila necklace, Mango earrings and bag from a Mexico City flea market.

Are there any pieces in your wardrobe that are particularly sentimental to you, and why?

I have this colourful polka-dot Diane von Furstenberg dress that my sister gifted me, which I love a lot. It’s not really my size, so I think I’ll tailor it at some point, but I was wearing it at a beach rave in Tulum when I met my partner, so there’ll always be space in my wardrobe for it. The first thing he ever said to me was, "I love your dress", and here we are, almost eight years later, about to get married!

What does a typical day look like for you?

There is no such thing as a typical day as an independent artist; it really depends on what I’m working on. If I’m working on a show, I’ll be in rehearsals all day, either learning choreography or practising dances, maybe cleaning up the counts or running through the pieces to build stamina, and then resting in the evening to recuperate. Some nights I might be at an event, although most end with my feet in a bucket of ice water. It does wonders for aching toes! Other times, if I’m not working on a specific project, I might be at a shoot and/or juggling a mix of things, including admin, teaching, taking classes and meetings. The one thing I can count on is daily journeys across town, so I always have a book with me and very much enjoy that constant.

Scenes from Patricia's home.

If you could wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

It’s not an outfit in itself per se, but I’d wear my Offhours homecoat forever if I could. It’s kind of like a robe but completely made out of a thick duvet fabric. It’s quite weighty, in a good way, so it feels extra cosy. It's also very well designed, so it still looks relatively chic as well. I always wear it when I’m at home, which is not often these days, so really, my dream is to cuddle up on the couch and never leave the house again! It’s especially great for the cold UK winters. It makes them seem almost bearable!

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good! I can be such a perfectionist as a ballet dancer, so it's a good reminder to just do your best and give it a go, and to learn along the way. I received this advice just before COVID hit from Katherine, my mentor, who works at the forefront of the dance and technology space, and it really opened up so many doors for me. Most of the time, people don’t go for things they want because they’re worried it won’t be a perfect success, but all success starts somewhere. The key word is "starts"! I don’t think I would have begun my journey as a choreographer and filmmaker without her advice.

Patricia wears a Shushu/Tong blazer, Dior handbag, Vivienne Westwood earrings, Miista boots, Awon Golding hat and Basliq ring.

As a soon-to-be bride, how will your style feed into your wedding wardrobe? Do you have lots of looks planned, and do you have style ideas for your honeymoon?

I wanted to keep my wedding wardrobe quite classic, but also add fun and modern elements to make it feel more personal to me. I decided on a "pearls and bows" theme throughout, as there are four (!) parts to the wedding: a London town hall reception, the main wedding in Palermo, Sicily, a celebration up north in Yorkshire for my partner’s family and a dinner in Beijing for mine. It felt important to me to have a couple of elements to stick to and interpret in different ways, so it felt like there was a bit of a through-line across the events.

So far, I have about five outfits planned for the first two, but it’s still all evolving as we speak! One thing I noticed was that because of social media, the bridal trends tend to affect everyone’s choices in a way where everything I saw started to look the same, so I’ve tried extra hard to find pieces that feel genuine to my style. I don’t want to look back on my photos and think that I could have just photoshopped my face onto someone else’s body. That would be my worst nightmare.

Luckily, the honeymoon won’t be until January when we finish our last wedding event—the dinner in China—so I have a while to sort it out, as I’m still knee-deep in the first two celebrations. It really is hard to find the perfect balance when you’re more of a maximalist like me; you want to accessorise and have fun, but also don’t want it to come across like you’re wearing a costume, you know? It’s a fine line. As part of the honeymoon trip, we're going on the Eastern Oriental Express through Malaysia for three days, so I am really excited to plan my outfits for that. I’m already thinking about all the hats and gloves!

What can we expect next from Patricia?

It’s so tricky because I’d love to tell you, but most of my projects are still in the development phase, and I can’t speak about them just yet. What I can say is that you can expect me to return to the stage soon, which I’m so excited for, in different ways that challenge me and allow me to keep pushing the boundaries of my career. Apart from that, I’m keen to get back to making films again as well.

Actually, I reckon when my wedding is over, I’ll find myself with a surplus of time to start creating again. Planning a wedding is kind of like being a creative director! Especially if you have a specific vision and are as picky about every detail as I am. In short, more dancing, more fashion, more creative projects, and definitely doing more of what brings me joy!

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