WORK LOREM IPSUM

LOREM IPSUM

Design

Art Direction

Editorial

ROLES:
Co-Founder + Designer
Ongoing collaboration with Alex Cao.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Accessory design, website design, brand identity, editorial direction, visual design, styling

TOOLS: Blender, Illustrator, Photoshop, lots of leather swatches and YouTube videos...

Form, Future, Function

LOREM IPSUM is an experimental accessories brand created by Caleb Zhang & Alex Cao. We specialize in creating leather pieces inspired by futurist utility and dystopian narratives, merging storytelling with craft in the accessories space. Our current product line includes handbags, belts, wallets, jewelry, and ties. Everything is produced in limited batches with artisanal materials and techniques.

WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

LOREM IPSUM was created to fill a gap in the accessories market, which often prioritizes commerciality over storytelling and artistic expression. As designers with unconventional backgrounds, Alex and I aim to transform accessories into narratives that extend beyond mere decoration. Our collections are centered around powerful stories and social commentary.

For example, our first collection, "Corporate Cannibal," reimagines corporate office elements as avant-garde fashion items, while our second collection, "Scorched Earth," depicts a post-apocalyptic world affected by climate change. Through our work, we seek to elevate everyday accessories into meaningful expressions of personal and social narratives.

FW23

Scorched Earth

World

Our second collection emerges from an apocalypse brought about by the hubris of humanity. Titled “Scorched Earth”, this collection singes with muted colors inspired by unforgiving deserts and dystopian silhouettes. In the wake of ruin, “Scorched Earth” reflects a climate made barren, a society made desolate, and a natural world made mechanical. Each item in this collection offers a window into a future that, while still preventable, inches closer and closer to us.

When the ash settles, the dust clears, and the rust is removed, there will soon be nothing left — to create or destroy.

Creative direction + styling by Alex Cao and me

Editorial Team: Preston Rolls, Belton Garr, Mikaela Alvarez, Leliani Cabello, Amber Bray

Website Design

In collaboration with Jennifer Jimenez

Explore

In preparation for our launch, I also helped design our e-commerce website. As part of its development, I helped create wireframes, made an interactive “World” page for each collection, and collaborated closely with Jennifer Jimenez to ensure a seamless user experience. We focused on integrating rich multimedia content that not only showcases our products but also tells the story behind each collection. This included video lookbooks, detailed product animations, and immersive soundscapes. The result is a dynamic, narrative-driven platform that brings our unique accessories to life and connects users with the creative process behind them.

Rico Nasty: Dystopia