Fashion Scholarship Fund 2021: Design Challenge

Achievements

• Invited to reception gala in NYC

• Illustrated designs connecting Eastern and Western tastes

• Transformed GenZ research into 5-piece look

Deliverables

TLDR Summary

• China and US account for 42.06% of global fashion industry.

• Lack of brands appealing to Chinese aesthetics.

• Filled gap by accounting for Eastern and Western tastes.

*statistics via fashion united

Discovery

Challenge

Inspired by avant-garde brands like Comme des Garçons and Alexander McQueen, aimed to create captivating runway piece, enhancing everyday wear.

User research

Started during my travels in China between 2019 and 2020. I photographed, sketched, and memorized motifs that became cornerstones in my designs.

Walking around malls in China, I observed that Chinese consumers prefer Western fashion brands. Streetwear stables include Bape, Supreme, Nike, and Jordan. The luxury segment favors Louis Vuitton, Prada, YSL, and Gucci. Alexander Wang is a notable Asian exception. However, his monochrome modernist designs lack distinct Asian influences.

Celebrities like Jeremy Lin and Eileen Gu would be target endorsers of my collection

This trend stems from cultural prestige attached to Western brands in China, exemplified by how fast-food chains like KFC and McDonald's are priced as premium dining. 

Aesthetic Influences 

The challenge lies in choosing a distinctive design that can become iconic.

Bape is a brand with an identifiable ape motif, easily adaptable across a variety of clothing.

Visual Language

I selected dragons as my motif. They're iconic in Asian culture.

Inspirations

Rei Kawakubo's sculptural designs for Comme des Garçons runway shows create buzz, enabling commercial success of iconic items like the CDG x Converse shoes.

Sketches

To create my designs, I start with ink drawings.

Drew inspiration for illustrations from Yeezus Tour Maison Margiela masks.

Later found out USC professor mentoring me on this helped design the Margiela masks.

The masks spark the imagination, inviting viewers to envision what's hidden beneath without defining the model's identity, allowing fantasy.

I reviewed and selected 5 ensembles for competition.

I refined the sketches in Photoshop to bring the dragon motif to life.

pictures of dragon motifed fabric to parse

illustration of collection

Enhanced illustration by setting against grey gradient background, adding depth to enrich the viewer's experience.

For title, chose phrase "Zhen Gu Chuan Xing," a Mandarin proverb meaning "honor the past, embrace the future."

"Zhen Gu Chuan Xing" reflects my Chinese American identity. This unique perspective allows me to craft cross-cultural creations.

Thought Process

For the presentation, I synthesized my research and design journey into a moodboard.

Physical Prototype

I created a physical prototype of my concept with sculpture materials.

Photoshoot

My friend Daniel modeled the piece. I shot him on 35mm film to achieve a softer ethereal color palette. 

Results

Received invitation to FSF closing gala in New York City. 

Reflection

I'm excited to continue blending research, illustration, and my interests into future designs.

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