Harajuku, Tokyo
After stopping to watch a sombre wedding parade at the shrine, I pass through streets dotted with candy-coloured girls who look like they have been lifted out of a manga cartoon. Thanks to the media, Japan has a lot to live up to. Wandering around Harajuku on a leisurely Sunday morning, I get the feeling that my expectations will be met. A small place filled with a strong sense of tradition and unusual extremes. This will be a city visit with a bipolar personality.
Ulaanbaatar
When is a dress more than just a dress?
When it takes a day browsing Moron’s black market to select 2 beautiful and complementary fabrics. When you travel with this fabric to the next city in search of a tailor to transform it into a traditional del with a modern twist. When you spend an evening at the tailors flicking through photographs, mixing and matching elements, discussing without a common spoken language in what direction you would like the design to go. When you return a week later for 2 afternoons of fittings, finishing, and last minute adjustments.
As modern wardrobes overflow with ready-made clothing, has it become too easy to own clothes? Cheap easily accesible clothing is what drives the underpaid child labour industry. Maybe we need to start investing more effort and thought into clothing purchases. It may be time for more dresses to be more than just a dress.
Hampstead, London
Antique buttons sold by the button lady.
Daoshun Village
“It is for the museum”.
The process of bark cloth making is physically demanding, and the most suitable tree is not only a protected species but also poisonous. It is therefore not surprising that bark cloth items are now made just for museums or tourist shows. Chengquan learnt the the craft from his father, who had in turn discovered the skill out of necessity in the army. “They had nothing to wear otherwise, it is warm and waterproof”. Today, with modern fabrics, there is no need for bark cloth, and he adds “It doesn’t look great, who would wear it?”
Bark cloth making, along with many traditional crafts, are what the government title as “intangible cultural heritage” and require preserving. Currently their preservation method seems to only involve retaining where possible the knowledge that still exists. The problem is that often this knowledge is a skill that is held in the hands of single craftspeople and needs to be passed down apprentice-style to the next generation. Without progression of the craft to produce items relevant to modern society, it holds no attraction to the younger generation. Without progression of the craft to attract a younger following, there are no apprentices to inherit this knowledge. Although museums are able to keep the crafts surviving for the time being by creating a temporary demand, in reality they are only really preparing for their extinction.
Xining
Klaas, along with his wife, runs a project turned business that provides the structure within which poor semi-nomadic Tibetans are given the chance to improve their lives in the form of an additional source of income. After providing them with training in wool handicraft techniques that have been developed and progressed to suit the style and standard required to be sold in the modern westernized world, AmdoCraft places orders of designed products from them. These are then sold to shops and also in their own AmdoCafes.
Sitting in the cafe with a hot chocolate and cake, I contemplate why I am so drawn to this project. As a designer it is satisfying, as it illustrates how a well considered project and intelligent design really can make a positive difference in people’s lives. As someone living in an increasingly competitive capitalist world it is comforting, as it proves that business and human kindness can co-exist successfully. As a month and half long observer of China it is exciting, as it is hope that for those who want to continue living their own ethnic minority lifestyles but not struggle in poverty, there is an alternative to relocation, financial handouts and absorption into acceptable mainstream society.
As I searched the shops of Harbin for a warm jacket, I could not help but feel disappointed every time I tried something on. Only the day before, Hezhe mother had kindly let me try on some fish-skin clothing she had made. The moment I slipped into the first jacket, I was not only surprised by how comfortable it was, but taken aback by how beautiful and special it felt. A month ago I did not even know there was such a thing as fish-skin clothing, now I find myself dreaming of a fish-skin coat.
Xiaozha – Nansai
With most of the men out at sea during the fishing season or playing mahjong to rest when not at sea, the Hui’An woman run and build the town. They are mothers, grandparents, seemstresses, cooks, butchers, construction workers, business owners. I wonder what demands they would make in a feminist equal opportunities movement…
Meet one great Hui’An lady who looked after me for the day.
Mother, Shop owner, Seamstress，My stylist (who had to keep readjusting my wonky headscarf everytime I returned!)
Having purchased randomly a top, trouser and headscarf, I luckily stumbled into the shop of this Hui’An mother in search of a belt. With the help of her daughter, I was promptly refitted with a trendy cropped top in a lighter shade of purple, and properly matching headscarf . The difference was immense! The cutting, colour shade, matching of patterns to suit the overall outfit and the person wearing it are all important rules of fashion. It was niave to think that I did not need to apply these rules when selecting their traditional dress, and could do it with an untrained eye just by choosing the right size.