Katherine Wong

 My collection is called Fèng Měi（凤美), which is my Chinese name meaning “Beautiful Phoenix”. This collection was inspired by the Chinese mythological Phoenix FengHuang. FengHuang is a very auspicious creature in Chinese mythology and is said to be a symbol of virtue, righteousness, courtesy, benevolence, and faith. Part of the mythology of the Chinese Phoenix is that it is not born from the ashes of fire like the western Phoenix. The Chinese Phoenix actually descends from Heaven and does so in a time of harmony and peace within an empire. I want this collection to represent the same harmony and peace between the Chinese community and other communities.
The main concept for my collection is cultural pride. I wanted to showcase a part of Chinese culture in a positive light and give others the opportunity to appreciate it as well. I will do so through the use of hand painted imagery on garments and a vibrant colour palette that has some symbolism in Chinese culture.