Designer Makin Ma takes couture in a fresh direction

consider himself a fashion designer. Despite the fact that his eponymous collections are stocked in Europe and Asia, Hong Kong-born Ma still doesn't think of himself as part of the fashion world.

In fact, he says he's a filmmaker. His autumn-winter 2013 line may be premiering in stores, not cinemas, but his collections are actually a testament to his love of movies, and his unusual methodology mirrors the film medium's creative approach, he says.

"I build collections based on characters. I spend time developing each character, their personality, the way they think, the music they listen to," he says.

"I imagine their whole life, and then I imagine what kind of clothes they'd want to wear. I want to make films, so in my head I'm growing as a filmmaker by creating these characters."

His latest collection is based on two characters, a boy and a girl, each in their 20s and both with a definite hipster slant. Their choice of clothes is unisex and often interchangeable: oversized jackets in earthy tones; leopard-print and plaid jumpsuits; and crisp monotone shirts.

Born in Hong Kong, but based in the UK, Ma attended London's prestigious Central Saint Martins college. But he didn't study fashion; his discipline was graphic design.