Chuwei Ding
I have two sides, two incompatible faces. As a designer, I want to combine things that constantly clashing, contradicting one another. My design is a bit boyish but doesn’t deny femininity, combing feminine sensuality and masculine toughness. Subcultures are also a source of inspiration for me.
As an environmentalist, I try to reduce material waste and use environmentally friendly methods. My materials come from discarded garments and what I find will also dictate the direction of the design, starting with what is available and highlighting the features and details of the original items.
I am also a fashion blogger and make videos through which I can convey my attitude and share my life.
Reversed School
My project “Reversed School” is about subcultural themes of punk and school uniforms, conjuring images of rebellious school children wearing their uniform wrong.
School uniform is a symbol of authority and institutionalism that erase individuality, and punk is like a tool to change this situation. I want to create the image of school kids who have a personality and make uniform from a symbol of collectivism to reinvent ‘individual identity’ and to promote the expression of one’s own style and attitude. So I make the clothes upside down in terms of silhouette, or wear jackets as trousers just as the kids would do.
I also applied elements of punk, such as spray paint, safety pins and leather jackets. Every leather piece from this project is upcycled. I sourced old clothing from charity shop, unstitched them and reconstructed them into a new piece. It’s environmentally friendly, and also illustrates a rebellious attitude.
