Curating a vibrant, complicated image of Asia through garments
Like Wang, Chinese fashion designer Samuel Guì Yang also draws inspiration from traditional Chinese culture and art. In the film series promoting the 2021 Autumn and Winter collection of the designer's namesake womenswear brand, viewers are expected to see an elegant woman draped in the clothes featuring patterns inspired by Tao Magic: The Chinese Art of The Occult, an old picture book that consists of various Taoist calligraphy motifs.
While Wang and Yang's works speak to how far Chinese culture stretches back in time, several artists' creations remind viewers of how rich Asia's socio-cultural diversity is.
In Urumqi-born and New York-educated fashion photographer Ma Hailun's ongoing series Hometown, all subjects seem to be Central Asian-looking Uygur and Kazak locals sporting colorful clothes, shiny makeup and accessories, which the artist has revealed captures her fond childhood memory of her neighbors.
