Jennifer Jiang

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Fashion Competition 2026

Garden of Light: Observing Shadows "Garden of Light: Observing Shadows" explores how clothing can establish deeper relationships between people, nature and perception through immersive sensory experience. Rooted in the spatial philosophy of traditional Chinese SuZhou gardens, the project translates design principles such as borrowed scenery, framed views, hidden landscapes and winding pathways into a fashion language based not on visual representation, but on embodied perception. Through light, shadow, texture and material interaction, garments invite the wearer to slow down, observe and engage through the senses. Rather than reconstructing the image of a garden, the project reconstructs the way a garden is felt. Clothing becomes an evolving sensory environment, where perception is continuously shaped through bodily movement, making both the wearer and the viewer active participants in an unfolding experience. This project is grounded in the belief that sustainability should not be treated as an added layer to design, but as something embedded across every stage of the design process, from concept development and material research to pattern cutting, construction, wear and end-of-life systems. I believe that when clothing encourages curiosity, interaction and personal discovery, it develops emotional significance, which in turn encourages longer use, greater care and more responsible patterns of consumption. For this reason, my practice moves beyond relying solely on existing “sustainable materials” as fixed solutions, and instead focuses on reactivating the potential of new natural and biodegradable materials through design. Within the limitations of a system that cannot transition overnight, the project seeks to demonstrate how material innovation can increase the value, adaptability and relevance of natural resources within contemporary fashion. Material experimentation therefore becomes a core methodology of the project. Soy wax, typically used in candle making, is reinterpreted as a fashion material and developed into detachable decorative components through self-developed moulds, pigment exploration and casting processes. These elements are designed to be removable, repairable and replaceable, enriching the sensory qualities of the garments while supporting maintenance, separation and more responsible end-of-life strategies. Alongside biodegradable materials, modular construction and commercially viable pattern cutting, the project demonstrates how natural materials can achieve both expressive design outcomes and practical functionality within real production constraints. The project is also driven by a human-centred approach to design. Traditional Chinese gardens are not designed to be understood from a single viewpoint; instead, they unfold gradually as visitors move through them, continuously reshaping perception through shifting scenery and layered encounters. "Garden of Light" translates this principle into clothing, where garments change through the act of wearing. The wearer becomes both observer and participant, while the viewer experiences constantly shifting readings of form and movement. Clothing becomes a medium of dialogue between the wearer, the observer, the historical knowledge embedded in garden design, and myself as the designer. In this way, cultural heritage is not simply referenced, but experienced through the body. Ultimately, "Garden of Light: Observing Shadows" proposes that the future of sustainable fashion depends not only on better materials, but on better relationships—between people and garments, people and nature, and design and lived experience. By integrating cultural heritage, material innovation, circular thinking and multisensory design, the project presents a vision of fashion that is not only worn, but experienced, cared for and emotionally sustained over time. Sustainability, in this sense, becomes not only an environmental responsibility, but a deeply human condition shaped by perception, connection and meaning. Look 1 Look 1 is constructed from pure cork fabric combined with punched detailing and raffia knotting, the modulation of tone and texture evokes the changing light and shadow within traditional Chinese gardens. A printed surface, developed from a responsibly produced sustainable faux fur sourced in China, translates the visual rhythm of fur into a graphic language, proposing print as a contemporary alternative to animal-derived materials while reinforcing the project’s focus on material reinterpretation and sustainability. Look 5 Look 5 is hand-woven using approximately 4,000 metres of recycled raffia across three panels, requiring around 200 hours of craftsmanship. Cork fabric is fused into the structure to provide stability and support suspended wax components, enabling more expressive decorative detailing. The lower section features hand-cut, wave-like fringe elements, with minimal use of metal hardware to emphasise material responsibility. Suspended wax pieces, inspired by the mother of pearl window structures of the Humble Administrator’s Garden, introduce shifting translucency and layered light effects, while embedded essential oils and raffia movement create subtle sensory cues of scent and sound, extending the garment into a multisensory experience.