Bold, intricate, and full of movement, A Dragon’s Tale is a one-of-a-kind headpiece originally created for the Chinatown in Three Acts exhibition. The base is hand-blocked and covered in vivid red silk brocade, echoing traditional Chinese textile motifs with elegance and power.

The wide, sweeping brim is made of structured veiling, creating a delicate yet dramatic silhouette. Hand-sculpted details—ribboned arcs, embroidered lacework, and ornate trim—evoke the tail of a dragon in mid-flight, alive with myth and grace.

This piece is an homage to heritage, resilience, and transformation—designed for those who carry story and strength in every step.

An Artist’s Statement

A Dragon’s Tale is a celebration of mythology, migration, and memory—woven into silk and sculpted into form. Created as part of my Chinatown in Three Acts exhibition, this piece draws on the enduring symbol of the Chinese dragon: a creature of strength, wisdom, and transformation.

The base is wrapped in vivid red silk brocade, a textile steeped in tradition and festivity, while layers of veiling extend outward like wings mid-motion. Sculpted ribbons and floral lace flow across the brim, evoking the fluid energy of a dragon in flight—unstoppable, mesmerizing, protective.

This piece is rooted in personal and cultural lineage. It reflects the duality of visibility and invisibility—how beauty and power can coexist with displacement and resilience. Like the dragons of story and ceremony, this hat moves between worlds: bold yet graceful, ornamental yet defiant.

A Dragon’s Tale is not only an homage to heritage but a reminder that every thread, every shape, and every shadow carries a story worth telling.