Outerwear
This design inspired the rest of my FALLING series. Its ambiguous shape and striking colors are impactful even from a distance. Wearing it out, I've found it gets more intrigued faces and furrowed brows than any other piece I've made thus far.
Pants
MINE
"You just have to get used to it."
That's what my friend told me after we were both cat-called and chased by several men in the street. I was visiting her at college and was startled by her nonchalant attitude after nearly being groped in public. She knew it was wrong, but told me that it happens all the time and we were lucky it wasn't worse.
Too many women have stories like this - of being objectified, trivialized, and degraded for their gender. It's a tragedy that women often feel like they cannot dress for themselves for fear of unwanted attention.
These jeans serve as a manifestation of how women often see their clothes - not as a fun outfit or even a piece of fabric, but as a symbol of the male gaze. I want women to feel empowered by their clothes, not shamed or exploited. Virgil Abloh uses quotation marks on his products to call attention to (and rethink) a seemingly obvious label, so I challenge my viewers to do the same. As a young woman today, are my clothes, my body, my sexuality, and my consent truly mine?
Oil Spill
I bleached these jeans in the hopes that the erratic, chemical splatters would inspire their design. Luckily, the results gave me a clear vision of an industrial current eroding the original landscape of the fabric. With vast washes of color guiding the composition, these jeans become a wearable story of destruction, cleansing, and rebirth.
Koi Toys
Fish are friends!
There's something very alluring about koi fish. In the water, their vibrant colors and graceful movements dance beautifully together and create a harmony so powerful that they are revered in Japanese culture. Specifically, a sighting of these fish promises good fortune and the gift of perseverance. Paired with the light denim wash of these jeans, the vast hues of blues serve as a perfect home for these animals to play.
See Them in Action!
The Wild Cards
I designed this t-shirt series for ban.do in an attempt to broaden their market. I chose these particular cards to because I believe they each invoke a different, compelling personality…
Queen of Hearts: elegant, powerful;
Joker: disruptive, playful;
and, last but not least, Ace of Hearts: multitalented, driven, confident.