Wo Ai Ni (I Love You)
Tang Duchess fascinator modeled by Song Faulkner. Photo by Mamie Raynaud
Who knew that the year 2020 would bring about so much change. But is it change or really clarity? This collection, however small has been a long time coming. “Wo Ai Ni” embraces all of me—the woman who straddles two continents, two cultures, and two languages. I live in both worlds, and as a result, I have never mastered either. I am the byproduct of hybridity, and what evolved in the end is a self that still requires exploration. I was born in Hong Kong, China, then a British Common Wealth. and just one more piece of the puzzle that is me.
After months of sewing masks for friends, family, and service workers in my community, my millinery endeavors sat on the back burner. Now that everything in the economy has slowed to a crushing halt, I really wonder who needs hats anymore except to wear to Zoom calls. I decided it was time to stop and reflect on me and my art. I will admit that I often pulled back my fashion and even designs if things started to look a little too Chinese. My natural instinct is to under design for fear that my culture would shine too brightly, and then be accused of making things costume-y. I finally realized at my age that I can embrace my influences, and if it seems theatrical, so be it. It’s what I love, and it could be what others love about me.
“Wo Ai Ni” is also about resilience, something all immigrant families can identify with. It is a collection that incorporates my childhood movies, with Asian heroines and matriarchs. Don’t be surprised to see more of my mixed pop culture influences in the future. There will be a lot of Chinatown in my hat pieces, but there will also be Downtown, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Sun Wuy, and Hollywood Blvd. I plan on driving really fast on the slow lane as I begin to peel the layers away—stripping down to see my many colors.
For this first blog in the time of Covid, I present my favorite piece of the Wo Ai Ni collection, the Tang Duchess. I hope the image makes you think of a Chinese dynasty long gone.