New York-based cutting-edge streetwear design brand, DAWANG, has recently launched the DAWANG² Environmental Protection collection, The Track of Beauty. This collection draws inspiration from the art found in everyday life, as experienced by DAWANG’s sustainable environmental designer, Jen Liu, during her time in New York. In the eyes of this designer, beauty is a journey that unfolds during the process of creation.
Designer Jen Liu has been passionate about fashion since her childhood, as influenced by her grandmother, a seamstress. She resolved to work in the fashion industry and developed a deep appreciation for history at a very young age. After graduating with a degree in Fashion Design and Marketing from Taiwan Shih Chien University, Jen embarked on her fashion and art journey in New York City.
The founder of DAWANG, Daisy Jingwen Wang, recognized Jen Liu’s talent in fashion design and hired her as DAWANG’s sustainable environmental designer. At DAWANG, she continued to explore ways to integrate Chinese culture into clothing, representing the style of the new generation, while admiring the innovative way DAWANG brought chi-pao to life.
Driven by a profound understanding of her personal perception of beauty and an unwavering commitment to eco-friendly environmental ideals, the designer gave life to the DAWANG² Environmental Protection collection, naming it The Track of Beauty. This collection boasts nine distinct clothing items and embodies the core principles of the 3R concept: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
DAWANG² epitomizes the designer’s carefully curated selection of previous DAWANG seasonal garments, thoughtfully handpicked and re-envisioned to take on new and rejuvenated forms. Each piece is handcrafted by the designer in her Long Island City studio.
A singular “sewing” is the central theme that runs throughout this entire collection. The first life – DAWANG FW22 series – serves as the foundation and embarks on a captivating journey, involving a series of intricate actions, such as deletion, addition, and reorganization, effectively breathing new life into the clothing. Furthermore, materials that might otherwise be considered waste in the production process are thoughtfully repurposed and reintegrated into the designs, encapsulating the essence of sustainability.
Each piece in the collection, while maintaining its individuality, possesses the remarkable ability to be mixed and matched, unveiling a plethora of fresh and unique styles—an embodiment of clothing’s “third life.” Moreover, the series pays homage to the original silhouettes of the garments, a testament to the designer’s ingenious approach. Instead of discarding the deleted portions, they are ingeniously reincorporated into the clothing in innovative ways.
Designer & Stylist: Jen Liu @jenliu__________.
Photographer: Cheng Gong @photocheng.
Model: Hsiao Wei Hsiang @hsiaowei.hsiang and Mattie Newlin @mattie.newlin.
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
