Shufa 书法。

2021 James Fabric Cup - Bronze Award

Shufa is a contemporary modular collection that captures the spirit of traditional Chinese calligraphy. From the beginning, calligraphy has been a form of fine art as well as a philosophy of life. The power of the word is shown through the limitless nature of each stroke and each character. The beauty of calligraphy comes from the multiple roles of the word to convey meaning, sound, and visual form. While each character is single and independent, once bound with one another, they are multifaceted and boundless. Like how the brush becomes an extension of a calligrapher’s arm, clothing is an extension of the human body and identity. Embracing the principles of balance and organic energy, each set in this collection is unique and dynamic. Each piece builds off simple shapes and single units that can be conveniently joined and configured in infinite ways to create new looks, blurring the lines between office, sports, and leisure. The transformability and adaptability of the collection reflects a balanced and more sustainable cycle of production and consumption. 

书法是东方文化的象征，笔画是书法的元素
每个笔画的组合都可勾勒出中华文化的精深
‍
服饰如同书法，同一个元素可以裁剪出无尽的美丽释义

About James Fabric Cup

The "James Fabric" Cup Textile and Clothing Design Competition is an annual competition held by Jiangnan University and sponsored by James Textile. Over the years, it has built a professional clothing competition platform featuring fashion design, fashion pattern, enterprise docking and other fields. The theme for 2021 was "Embrace the Unknown," featuring two categories – “One for more” in Light Fashion and “Play with the trend” in the New Generation.

Inspiration

Inspired by the theme of “Embrace the Unknown,” I wanted to create something that spoke to me and the times that we are living in. Adaptation and flexibility are messages that are especially relevant in the past two years and ones that I felt connected with the concept of One for More in Light Fashion. Shufa is a contemporary modular collection that captures the spirit of traditional Chinese calligraphy. Like how the brush becomes an extension of a calligrapher’s arm, clothing is an extension of the human body and identity. Embracing the principles of balance and organic energy, each set in this collection is unique and dynamic. Each piece builds off simple shapes and single units that can be conveniently joined and configured in infinite ways to create new looks, blurring the lines between office, sports, and leisure. The transformability and adaptability of the collection reflects a balanced and more sustainable cycle of production and consumption. 

Production Process

For my collection, I chose my James fabrics based on the concept of my collection being modular. I wanted materials that were easy to work with and care for, as well as being a staple for anyone’s closet. The creativity and highlight of my garment comes from the way the pieces are put together, so the materials needed to work for a wide range of settings to fit the theme of one for more. My piece was not a direct translation of my effect drawing. There were multiple adjustments made to my design based on fitting and functionality. 
‍
The main base of this garment is made entirely of James fabric from the cotton collection. The base is 100% medium weight cotton, chosen for its easy care and clean look. Each cutout was then strengthened with a contrast fabric that had more stretch and a silky finish. The ink pieces are composed of a combination of neoprene, pleather, and suede, which were used to emulate the natural, diverse look of calligraphy as it is being written, from glossy to matte.

My biggest challenge in the production process was having to work from home. Because I was working from home, I was limited in the supplies and equipment that I had access to. I was also unable to receive direct feedback from peers about my designs which meant I had to consider everything myself. I overcame these difficulties by being adaptive and creative with my garment and came up with ways to incorporate or work around the hiccups. The competition timeline was also challenging as the entire competition spanned over five months, and time management when working alone was very important. For my piece specifically, preparing the instructions on how to assemble was difficult and time consuming. I also spent a lot of time on packaging each piece to be clear and easy in the reassembly process. 

Duration: 5 months