Reimagining Tradition

This project explores the relationship between traditional Chinese architecture and costume design, investigating how architectural forms, structures, and spatial concepts can be translated into wearable garments. Rather than viewing architecture and fashion as separate disciplines, I became interested in the similarities between them—both create spaces for the body, shape movement, and influence the way people interact with their surroundings.

The project began with research into traditional Chinese architecture, focusing on elements such as roof structures, symmetry, layered spaces, and the relationship between interior and exterior environments. Through drawing, visual analysis, and material experimentation, I examined how architectural forms could be transformed into silhouettes, garment structures, and design details. Instead of directly replicating buildings, I sought to reinterpret their visual language through contemporary costume design.

Throughout the development process, I explored how clothing can function as a form of portable architecture. Architectural lines and structural principles informed the construction of the garments, while the movement of the body introduced a dynamic quality that architecture itself cannot achieve. This relationship between stability and movement became central to the project, creating a dialogue between built space and lived experience.

The project also reflects my interest in cultural heritage and contemporary design. Traditional architecture was not approached as a historical object to be preserved unchanged, but as a source of inspiration capable of generating new forms and ideas. By translating architectural elements into costume, I explored how traditional visual languages can continue to evolve and remain relevant within contemporary creative practice.

Through this project, I developed a deeper understanding of the connections between body, space, culture, and design. It allowed me to investigate costume not only as clothing, but as a medium through which architecture, movement, and cultural memory can intersect.