Rino Qiu
Profession
MA Fashion Communication: Fashion Image alum
College
Central Saint Martins
Person Type
Alumni
Biography
Rino is a Chinese photographer with a background in mechanical engineering. Before studying MA Fashion Communication: Fashion Image at Central Saint Martins, Rino worked on renovating houses into photography locations.
Interview
Why did you choose to study MA Fashion Communication: Fashion Image at Central Saint Martins (CSM)?
I was drawn to CSM’s emphasis on experimentation, critical thinking, and its dialogue between fashion and wider social contexts. The programme’s interdisciplinary approach and its focus on pushing visual storytelling beyond conventional fashion imagery resonate with my practice. I am interested in the tension between the spectacle of fashion and the quiet, almost invisible labor that sustains it, alongside the spaces that function as workplaces within the fashion industry.
What have you been working on since graduating?
I returned to Shanghai to launch my career as a freelance photographer, undertaking fashion and commercial commissions. Meanwhile, I have continued developing my CSM graduation project—a long-term project that focuses on photographing people and spaces in the backstage of China’s fashion industry.
What was the most interesting project you worked on during your time on the course?
It has to be the Shadowing Project, where I worked alongside fashion journalists Shinhui Lee and Anaïs Lukaku, and fashion designer Finlay Vincent as a team. Collaborating with such diverse creatives was both inspiring and refreshing, through tutorials, meetings, and tests, the experience really pushed me to develop my own visual language in a meaningful way.
What important piece of advice would you give to students thinking of studying this course?
Stay open-minded and experiment as much as you can, while not forgetting who you are and where your niche is.
What was the highlight of your Central Saint Martins experience?
It has to be the MAFC showcase at the end of the year. I was fortunate to present my major project together with fashion journalist Grace Tu to guests from the fashion industry, as well as the friends I had invited. Many students put a great deal of effort into the show and the event turned out to be a real success!
What is the most important thing you learnt on the course?
One’s own experiences are the greatest source of inspiration, don’t try to be someone else unless you see a part of yourself in them.
Links
Visit Rino's website
Follow Rino on Instagram