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MANIFESTO Growing up in China, I found it profoundly difficult to fit into traditional culture and felt suppressed by the pressures of my elders and others around me whom valued expertise in mathematics, sciences and all round academia. This expectation therefore effected my confidence and ultimately the part of me I felt was strongest, my creativity. Finding myself in the UK as I’ve developed, I feel I’ve taken influence from modern European artwork and my colour palette has become more grey-ish with the use of navy and denim blues more often. I attempted to emerge myself within certain sub-cultures within London such as the Club Kids and met with many local fashion students. I opened my mind to opinions of others, different tastes and cultures. I don’t believe there’s a culture that yet finds it easy to communicate effectively about sex. China is so exception, sometimes completely overlooking the topic whether at home or within education establishment. I’m probably not an exception to the explanation of my parents loving each other so much they just randomly sprung a baby, especially whilst I was possibly too young to compute. Even when the subject was brought up within middle-school the teachers simply seemed to pass the subject without any word. This created a huge curiosity in me about sensuality and sexuality which would go on to influence this current collection of work. What made me so interested in this subject is the fragility of this simple muscle called the cremaster muscle which is located in a mans testicles. This tiny simplistic muscle protects the creation of life itself. It’s purpose is to protect a males testicles (which in turn create life) from outside damage. It creates such a balanced space which protects a man’s ability to reproduce. We could even say that life itself hinges on the function of this one particular muscle. This is the delicate and beautiful relationship I want to explore within this collection of work. What I’d also like to explore though, is the continuing complexity of the beginning of life, One cell, splitting into two, into four etc. From the building of DNA to birth. This
will be shown in the progressive complexity of the collection itself. All living organisms share several key characteristics or functions: order, sensitivity or response to the environment, reproduction, growth and development, regulation, homeostasis, and energy processing. I have a great interest in this development of that one particular cell which splits into two, four and so on and creates this precious life which will one day go on to reproduce new life itself. Right now as a designer I’m finding that I’m using crazy origami folding processes to create asymmetrical patterns and less seems to make the garment look a whole piece of material and in term make my pattern cutting ability intelligent. I’m trying to use a less complex colour palette and more textured whites to create the garments within this collection which I hope will give viewers a strong visual hit through a simplistic creamy dream. Aesthetically I’m using strong and light fabrics together to create a balance feel about the collection. One of the designer brands that inspires me right now is Comme Des Garcons. She has been using crazy over-sized shapes but at the same time only one colour. Strong, simple and filling power to show off the garments they produce, no pattern or complex colour palette. Secondly, the Comments Des Garcons is a feminist. She tries to show womens’ power and has a unisex feel to the designs to break the rules. Ignoring social norms and giving power to those girls who feel oppressed. I’m trying to create a very visual but wearable asymmetrical shape to my designs. Using western fitted pattern cutting and leather to show the harsh power. I want to show through my future designs, garments which move together with the person who wears them. I don’t want people to feel like they are just a hanger. I found John Galliano inspirational from the beginning because of his traditional British pattern cutting, and his romantic opera charismatic design at the end of the last century which had a hand in how I wanted my designs to communicate with their wearers.
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Designer Jewellery design Stylist Photographer Assistant Graphic designer Models
Jake Liu Ashleigh Moloney Jake Liu Jack Hope Leo John Caligan Ella Marshall Jess Rodnight / Theo George