Musings with Mengyu Zhou

Mengyu Zhou, a photographer with a deep connection to themes of intimacy and personal spaces, collaborated with RUS for our latest collection, Pillow Talk. Her work, known for its quiet strength and sensitivity to the female experience, beautifully aligns with RUS’s vision of comfort, softness, and daydreams.

Photographs and Words by Mengyu Zhou

Lotti wears the RINGO sweater and the SURO socks.

Minh wears the KIMOCHI polo and SCALA socks

“In a bedroom, where people feel the most relaxed and safe, there’s a vulnerability that allows for deeper connection”

Where’s home for you?

Home is wherever I'm with my loved ones.

What led you to start working with photography?

When I first moved to Germany as a teenager, I didn’t really speak any word of German. That’s the time when I discovered photography and it helped me to express myself and to connect with the world.

This project touches on intimacy, everyday rituals, and personal spaces—how did those ideas resonate with you?

These themes are deeply connected to my personal work, that’s why it felt natural to be a part of this project.

How do personal spaces, like bedrooms, shape the emotion of a portrait?

There’s something transformative about being in a familiar space—it changes the energy. In a bedroom, where people feel the most relaxed and safe, there’s a vulnerability that allows for deeper connection. I think that sense of comfort influences not only the person being photographed but also the way I, as a photographer, approach capturing their essence.

April wears the CAMA sweater and CORTINA skirt

What sort of imagery and shapes do you feel attracted to?

The ones that hold quiet strength and fluidity.

There is a great consideration for intimacy and the female figure in your work, do you feel this is something that defines you?

These are the two topics that have been central to my work and I’m very fascinated by the layers of intimacy and the complexity of the female experience which I would like to continue exploring.

If this series had a soundtrack, what would it be?

Wildflower by Beach House.

Planification or improvisation?

A bit of both—if that’s not cheating!

Do you find useful following a routine or do you prefer to follow your emotional impulses?

I have a routine, but I allow myself the freedom to deviate when my instincts or emotions take me in a different direction.

How would you describe RUS universe in three words?

Comfort, Softness, Daydream.

Do you have any ritual that can transform your mood in an instant?

Running.

Name three artists/creatives that inspire you. Why?

Patti Smith, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Ryuichi Sakomoto.

April wears the SASAYAKI polo with the RO top and the NAKIRI pants

Can you name an object or a piece of clothing that holds a lot of emotional significance to you? What makes it special?

The DIY photo album I made during my first few years in Germany. Moving to a new country at a young age was overwhelming, and this album became my safe space. I filled it with photos I took of my family and friends, along with little notes about all the new experiences I was making at the time. It feels like a time capsule of that transformative period in my life and a reminder of how far I’ve come.

What’s your favourite season to get dressed?

Autumn.

What’s on your horizon?

To celebrate the little wins in life!