It's graduation week at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano (NABA), so let's have a look at one of the students who showcased her work at the Milanese institution, Chinese-born Hao Min.
The young student went back to her roots for her collection entitled "The Hands of Origin": she moved indeed from Chinese white and blue porcelain and combined this idea with an exploration on modern Chinese women.
In the last few years there have been quite a few designers in the West who explored the possibilities of Chinese porcelain appropriating it in their designs, including John Galliano for Christian Dior (S/S 2009 Haute Couture collection), Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen (A/W 2011), Rodarte (S/S 2011 collection), Roberto Cavalli (who created a Chinese blue and white porcelain gown in 2005 and then relaunched the inspiration for the Resort 2013 collection).
Hao Min re-appropriated her origins and the traditions of her country, using porcelain vases not only as prints but also as the starting point for her architectural forms.
Then she explored the dichotomy between Chinese traditional women and modern women and their role in society, coming to one conclusion – today's women are highly educated, social, creative and into technology, but they also look at the women from previous generations to grasp from them strong values and an appreciation for the arts, culture, family and traditions.
Hao Min hopes that her collection will also have a conceptual value: the hands in the title of the collection should indeed metaphorically wash away the superficial perceptions of Chinese women many of us have in the West.
Can you tell us more about your background?
Hao Min: I was born in Shanxi, China, and I'm 27 years old. I studied fashion and textile design at Shanghai University of Engineering Science and then moved to Milan to continue my education at NABA with a Master on Fashion and Textile Design.
Can you introduce to us to the main themes behind your collection, "The Hands of the Origin"?
Hao Min: The hands in the title are symbols: I hope through them to wash away the incorrect perceptions of Chinese culture and look at its real beauty. The process I had in mind is similar to that or an archaeologist who finds an ancient object while digging and starts cleaning it to discover it. It is also a metaphor hinting at the process of revealing the essence of modern Chinese women and their personalities.
How did the creative process work for you for what regards this collection, did you first develop a story for example and then you translated it into the fabric?
Hao Min: I researched about the porcelain objects that would represent China in the mind of people and my choice naturally fell on porcelain for its deep connections with the country and with the local people. By studying the motifs of these unique porcelain items you can indeed discover more about history and different generations of people. Yet, in the West, Chinese porcelain is often used for its visual power and beauty. In my collection I'm not using it in this way, but I'm employing these pieces to prompt people to go beyond the surface, exploring lines and forms, and genuinely discover Chinese women, looking at their power, self-confidence and strength. The Chinese women I'm paying homage to become also symbols for all women from all sorts of cultures and countries.
There seems to be a dichotomy between the themes of your collection, between traditions, crafts and artisanal techniques and modern times: in which ways did you explore them?
Hao Min: I actually turned to mathematics and explored the possibilities of fractals. The latter teach you that the form and shape of the totality of one system is similar to the form and shape of the very little part of the system. So I worked on two levels, the total shape of the outfits and the small motifs you find on the porcelain. In some designs I have also zoomed in and enlarged the shape of the lotus flower, a recurrent motif in Chinese porcelain.
What fascinates you about traditional Chinese porcelain?
Hao Min: I am very interested in their ancient and mysterious motifs and in the talented artisans who created them without using modern tools. The polished surface and those trademark white and blue colours are amazing and I think Chinese porcelains are the perfect combination of classical and modern.
In which ways did you interpret and integrate the colours, forms and shapes of porcelain into your designs?
Hao Min: I used very shiny, flat and soft fabrics, such as white satin and organza, to imitate the surface of porcelain. To recreate the motifs of the porcelain pieces I employed fabrics I bought directly from China and I integrated some stretch textiles to create sculptural elements and draped effects around the body.
Some of your designs look sculptural and architectural: what kind of techniques did you use to make them?
Hao Min: I built mille feuille-like structures with several layers of fabrics to alter volumes and used solid neoprene covered by lighter fabrics to create further striking effects.
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei often employs porcelain in his works and installations: does his art also inform your designs?
Hao Min: One of his works – "Sunflower Seeds" – had a very important influence on me and in particular on this project. In this installation he created 100,000,000 seeds. From a distance the seeds looked identical, but, when you looked close up, you discovered they were all different. I tried to get the same effect in my collection to invite people to get to know my culture and discover it from within, trying to erase as much as possible the wrong fantasies they may have about it, while encouraging them at the same time to approach all cultures with respect.
Do you think there is a difference between the perceptions we have of modern Chinese women and the reality?
Hao Min: By studying people around me, I realised there are some people who think that modern Chinese women are very much into consumerism, they do not have particular beliefs and they are sort of detached from reality and very superficial. Others see them instead as uneducated, unhappy and focused only on working. As you may imagine, these are just incorrect stereotypes as Chinese women are clever, smart, honest, faithful, respectful and educated. As I said earlier on, they are informed by a mix of traditional values and modern attitudes.
Who are the Chinese women who inspire you?
Hao Min: The most important woman who inspires me is my mother. She is more than just a mother for me, she is my friend and I can share with her all my ideas. Her suggestions and advices guide for me, but, after she suggests me something, she usually leaves me free and does not control my ideas because she knows I would choose always the correct way to do things.
Which was the most difficult aspect of developing your collection?
Hao Min: Finding the correct materials and respecting contemporary lines and forms.
Some of your shapes and silhouettes look borrowed from high fashion: would you like to work more in Haute Couture or in Ready-to-Wear in future?
Hao Min: I'm a fashion designer and I think I would adapt well in both the fields, depending from the concept and theme approached in a specific collection.
What plans do you have for your immediate future?
Hao Min: I want to create my own brand and open my showroom.
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