First, to whomever is reading the page: sorry, I maybe too chatty! It would be better to read the final pdf of this Collection. (havent done yet!)
“This process log will be updated starting from 08.18.2024.
The reason I choose the topic:
History is long, from ancient times to the present. I love history, but I would not say i am an expert about any particular period. I've always lacked the opportunity to study a specific era in depth. Initially, I was drawn to the depiction of China's history in the 1920s. I'm not a fervent patriot, but I love my culture. It is precisely because I respect every period of history that I can fully enjoy the peace and prosperity that came afterward.
(8.18.2024, morning)
The preparation and the title:
Regarding this rather new style for me, the initial concept was a theatrical performance (since I always love stage performances), a representation that goes beyond real history and real characters. However, I wanted it to be more a fashion collection based on historical elements. As for the strange name, it comes from the song 'A Mao A Gou' sung by Eason Chan (lyrics by Lin Xi), which tells the story of the rise and fall of countless ordinary lives, like the tiny mayflies that born and dying in an endless cycle. I later discovered that the painter Zhang Xiaogang (who I also get inspiration from) also used the same title for his art exhibition, so I decided to keep this peculiar name. (Imagine how the same theme can be expressed through different mediums).
(8.18.2024, morning)
Life is like a mayfly—disappearing, would it make the Earth turn longer? Why wait to rust?
Water flows downward; even those who sink to the bottom have eyes, mouths, and hands.
Faces blurred, unfit for the camera.
Pointlessly struggling, with no right to stay on the ark—how can one escape under the torrent?"
Why human posture studies?
In 2024, I visited the Sichuan Museum of Fine Arts during the summer break, and it somehow made me think of the project I'm currently working on (which I started intermittently in February 2024). There was an unique statue at the entrance of the museum, created by the sculptor Mr. Li Xianhai. This sculpture made me more aware of the old photos I've seen, my grandmother, and the elderly people I pass by on the street: it depicted a forward-leaning posture that comes with aging. Later, I realized in a bookstore that this posture isn't unique to the elderly—it's the result of long-term habits (like labor workers, desk work, etc.). This led me to decide to focus this project on human postures."
8.18.24
Paper-like building
"My idea is to portray a character’s thinness, almost like an optical illusion of a ‘paper-thin’ figure. I was inspired by a triangular building near a mall in my neighborhood. When viewed from the side, it looks just like a sheet of paper."
8.19.2024
In many photographs from the Republican era (1912-1949) and even in depictions of real people from the 1960s, you can see that most people, regardless of gender, had issues with their gestures—hunched backs and forward-leaning necks. I also have this problem. Being taller than my peers made me self-conscious, so I would slouch to appear shorter, and I spent long hours doing homeworks on the desk. Additionally, for women, before the Tianru Movement (the movement that appealed woman to liberate their tied breasts), it was considered improper to show their breasts, which further contributed to slouching and chest concavity. Coupled with the effect of corsets, this often made women appear flat-chested.
8.18.24
Legal prostitutes turned women into “ghosts”
"Women of the old days often appeared older than their actual age, especially prostitutes. Their health was neglected, leading to premature aging. After watching the timeless film *Sisters Stand Up*, I was deeply moved. The actress playing the brothel madam was only 27 years old, but she looked like she were in her 50s. I want to create a small installation to express my observations and feelings: a candle that has barely been lit, yet is already burnt out."
8.18.24
Untrained design
The inspiration came from watching a short documentary on Bilibili about an interior design studio in Chengdu run by a young lady. The exhibition featured "design inventions" by uncles and aunties from the local market: a portable mahjong table made from a wooden board and a standing frame, a custom-made water bottle holder for bicycle baskets, a chair repaired with ropes, and cloth covers to make chair legs more durable. The inventors themselves didn’t see these as inventions and felt there was nothing extraordinary about them.
What inspired me even more was that this girl’s studio is only three kilometers away from where I've been raised from 3, yet I had never been there. It reminded me of a small opinion I always insist—that many people today tend to downplay their own achievements, thinking what they do isn’t worth preserving or isn’t a grand “masterpiece.” But in reality, these small creations not only have value but they can, in some ways, become "great works."
Creativity that truly connects with the everyday lives of ordinary people is the lives behind this fragments, which we call "non-trained design." It represents the wisdom of frugal and resourceful design: like the beautiful patches a grandmother makes to mend her granddaughter's clothes, or cushions made from recycled old quilts. So, when I went home, I explored old items in my house and drew inspiration from them.
8.19.2024
All about Yoshiko
Finally, I want to talk about the core concept in this collection, Yoshiko Kawashima. So she is a really controversial person in the history, even now, people still wondered if she pretended dead and escape or not.
8.22.2024
This is about a historial person, she is famous for the name Yoshiko Kawashima(川島 芳子／かわしま よしこ Kawashima Yoshiko) This controversial person is She was born in the imperial clan of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and then Xianyu was given up for adoption in 1915 at the age of eight to her father's friend, Naniwa Kawashima, a Japanese espionage agent and mercenary adventurer. In popular culture, she is synonymous with the idea of a "female spy" or a hanjian. The mostly conversial event about her is her mystical death, which also makes her even more mystical.
I am mostly inspired by official and unofficial history, documentary (including the biographical novel), a dramatically and romantically touch up the real history. According the fictionalized biographical novel by Lilian Lee, Yoshiko Kawashima is depicted as a sophisticated, sly, seducing and bisexual “beautiful woman in man's wear"（男装の麗人・川島芳子伝）
8.22.2024
She explained in another article two days after the first that "I was born with what the doctors call a tendency toward the third sex, and so I cannot pursue an ordinary woman's goals in life... Since I was young I've been dying to do the things that boys do. My impossible dream is to work hard like a man for China, for Asia."
At the age of 20, she went through a political marriage. Three years later, she fled Mongolia and began her own "career."
It is rumored that at the age of 18, Yoshiko Kawashima shaved her head, dressed in men's clothing, and became obsessed with "male activities" such as horseback riding, kendo, and shooting. Some say this was because she attempted suicide after being raped by her adoptive father and, as a result, hated and sought to "erase" her female identity. Others believe that it was purely due to her sexual orientation that she preferred dressing as a man and engaging in these activities. However, in her autobiography, she claimed that shaving her head was a gesture of her determination to restore the monarchy, and that wearing men's clothing was a protective disguise to avoid danger. (WIki)
the english wiki page does not have this specific content, this is from the chinese page, please go to the chinese page and translate.
Expanding on this, in the films *Kawashima Yoshiko* and *The Last Emperor*, Yoshiko embodies a morbid and outdated (you are right, just saying relatively outdated) form of feminism: a simplistic imitation of patriarchal power politics, and Fertility worship. Therefore, reviving an 80s trend of oversized coats with broad silhouettes and incorporating the exaggerated silhouette often seen in cult films (mainly inspired by *A Clockwork Orange*) for Yoshiko is perfectly fitting, especially considering her peacock-like characteristics.
8.22.2024
so for now, i want to falsh back a little bit, anyway, this is just a page of putting down what I am thinking and working for this collection. The very original inspiration of Yoshiko is the film Yoshiko Kawashima in 1990 in HongKong. I also read the original novel by Lilian Lee. I guess that's the moment I feel that charm of Yoshiko and a sense of narcissism, capricious and brutal personality of her. (Isnt she great? the lady plays Yoshiko? Thats my favorite singer and actress! Anita mui!)
8.22.2024
just a reminder for myself! gotta update the content about Puyi and Wanrong!
8.22.2024
About Puyi and Wanrong
Hey, guys! im back! from the exhausting works... Then I want to write something I found about Puyi and his wife
Here, i wanna give some basic intro to Puyi and Wanrong
Puyi, the last emperor of China, was born in 1906 and crowned at age two. After his abdication in 1912, he received a Western-style education from a young age, particularly under the influence of his tutor, Reginald Johnston. This upbringing led him to adopt Western customs and ideas, shaping his views on modernization. Later, in 1932, the Japanese installed him as a puppet emperor in Manchukuo, a state they controlled in Manchuria. His reign there ended with Japan's defeat in 1945. Wanrong, the last empress of China and wife of Puyi, was once known for her delicate beauty and grace. However, she became increasingly erratic and addicted to drugs, even having affairs with Puyi's guards. She transformed from a serene empress into a frail madwoman. In recent years, her image has been shaped by perceptions of a life of luxury, idleness, vanity, jealousy, addiction, and scandal, including the birth of an illegitimate child.
So to speak, I can sense a feeling of powerlessness from this character, including the way they were born and their ultimate fate. It all feels as if they are nothing more than a puppet, as though the world never expected them to have any thoughts of their own.
The feeling this character gives me is one of a frail, melancholic masculinity.
And then, for. the lady: the culotte looks of the 1930s, designed for women's equestrian sports, challenged the convention that women could only wear skirts and stirred controversy by breaking the taboo of concealing women’s legs while riding. Additionally, the costume of Aya Koike in Sion Sono's film *Love Exposure* provided further inspiration. Aya's character, marked by a lack of paternal affection and psychological quirks, suggested that a long skirt-style culotte paired with a beret would be the most fitting choice for a similarly complex character.
And those are new for her, just to enrich the personality and background characteristics of this last empress, I want to connect her with the fashion context of her era. I think referencing 1930s Coco Chanel is right in the place, but just a mainstream femininity, coupled with the "morbidly extreme negativity" of the last empress image I've researched before, this could be a new design direction to explore.
8.23.2024
then the rest of the characters I would like to introduce are Cixi and Zhongshan, who represent an old way of order and a new way of order. we dont know yet about using them or not, but they are definitely worth looking. and i do have some ideas to share
8.23.2024
I suddenly recalled my original idea—a kind of ensemble drama, inspired by the musical *Grand Hotel*. The guests staying at the Grand Hotel in Berlin are all protagonists. The lead could be Otto, a wealthy Jewish man terminally ill, or a destitute baron, or a young girl chasing the American Dream... Why not let each model, within this absurd historical backdrop, connect every character, whether big or small, famous or “Mayfly-like commoners”?
8.23.2024
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend! Here I am.
About Cixi and Zhongshan
The Empress Dowager Cixi was extremely meticulous about her clothing, which was made from the finest silk and adorned with pearls, gemstones, and gold thread embroidery. Her extravagant lifestyle is considered one of the reasons for the decline of the Qing Dynasty.
By referencing the historical story of Empress Dowager Cixi having portraits painted of herself, I extended the costume design for this character. I believe that using quilted fabric conveys a sense of opulence and a feeling of being trapped in old ways, reflecting the isolationist policies and the foolishly conservative government of the late Qing Dynasty. It’s as if a wall has been built around oneself. The silhouette is based on traditional Manchu robes and is also inspired by a long coat from Dior’s 2001 haute couture.
The design of the Zhongshan suit was influenced by Western clothing styles while also incorporating elements of traditional Chinese attire. As Sun Yat-sen promoted the modernization of China, he believed that clothing was also an important symbol of the nation's spirit and progress toward modernization. He created a type of clothing that would reflect both national characteristics and be appropriate for modern society. Thus, the Zhongshan suit was born. I believe the Zhongshan suit represents a new era’s appearance—order, symmetry, and balance—yet it hides the fleeting illusion of an ideal society's demise.
8.24.2024
And then i guess i gonna need to upload some processes as I am working on it.
Yellow is exclusive in ancient china until modern china, and wearing the royal yellow is prohibited before qing dynast. There also are so many metaphor I can take use of in my culture, and I think this is so suitable to put the yellow in the characteristics of Puyi's outfit that works as a subtle imply of his real position.
8.31.2024
the things are going slower than I thought, and there are so many other things to cope with than I though. Now I am on my third look, with the first look of YOSHIKO and the second look of WANRONG. I would like to start the third look of the LADY BUTCHER who also carry her responsibility of giving birth and taking care of the next generation, She is not loved but her body is a perfect machine for giving birth and nutrienting babies because of her plus sized breasts and hips.
in the day time, when i was on the subway and googling about YOSHIKO's pants that I have been headache about. because I always know how should it be like but i just dont know what to fix and how to fix. Since I was pushed a post about "鳶服" (i am not sure the pronunciation yet.) I think I can figure out how YOSHIKO's Knickerbocker pants should be like.
I know this is exactly from japan, but this do exactly make sense because this is what I want: A Style That Mixed Up Nationality.
10.2.2024
it is REAALLY been a long time not updating my blogs, because i was either so busy with my school work or I was too lazy to do anything about this project and record them on my web, anyways, I am here now to tell something.
I am about to return new york tomorrow, me, now in shanghai, and typing. So i am also editing my documentary at the same time, and being anxious about everything. I have to say that this is not easy to manage everything by my own, especially i am so ambitious. Shopping in guangzhou is not hundred percent going well, but i did finish about 60% of what i planed to do, like purchase a great lace and tulle,,, well, i guess those are all what i got from guangzhou. pretty much,, sure, I do not feel good i have to say, and the interview neither. I am still feeling awkward to interview or filming anyone including myself, and I am figuring out a more comfortable way solving this, or i dont need to.
when i got new york, i really need to hurry up and update my thoughts.
1.21.2025
long time no see! hope you are well when you see my blogs here! today is a windy day and I am preparing for my faculty review tomorrow, writing the blogs and editing my video, it has been growing longer and longer! I really need some energy to feed myself up so that I can keep moving with my project... Anyway, I want to talk about the photoshoot two days ago, which is not so satisfied for me. It was to short to capture what I want: behind the scene, video, and everything. But i guess i am good that utilize what i have to make up what i dont have right? and now i have one month to make them up and wish me good luck. Oh, just before i go, here is the thesis, I wrote it in a nice way.
Cogs in the wheel is the title that I came up with much later than the concept itself. But the core never changes. It is always about people, human, the individuals that went through the history, no matter they are 100% real or with fictional features. The “cogs”, which is the metaphor of people, the “wheel” of history, obviously refers to the history itself, the rolling wheel never stops just like the history: a metaphorical concept referring to the cyclical nature of history, suggesting that events tend to repeat themselves over time.
And human in the middle of rolling wheel of history, are identically the same like a cog in the wheel.
4.16.2025
