Summer is fast and fleeting. A flash of green—sunlight sifting through leaves, flickering brilliant colors on your face. Fashion moves just as fast. A reverie of consumption ruthlessly whirls fragments of art that fade and dissolve. I wanted to create something that lingers longer. 

This collection is inspired by the concept of “sonder”, a word representing the realization that everyone, even strangers whom you are unfamiliar with, experience emotions as vividly as you. As summer is the season of sonder, that little boy you pass by, biking down a trail heavy with sun, has a life just as relentless and continuous as yours.

I’m also reminded of the fleeting nature of life: as many of my friends graduate and leave for college, sonder lingers, a lasting impression of the lingering memories made in other’s lives. I want to convey this understanding through clothes that are irreplaceable, yet quiet and unspoken. 

I use Chinese-inspired visual influences: large paper fans, delicate colors, and mandarin collars to create a delicate yet lasting impression. These clothes hold the memories of summer: brief and impermanent, yet holding a striking presence.

The more I work on apparel, the more I’ve realized that I enjoy styling my friends in handmade artworks that reflect how I see them, rather than the design process itself. For this reason, I likely won’t be pursuing apparel design beyond personal creative projects.