“refract” is a womenswear collection informed by a feeling that I have deemed identity dysphoria. Personally, this means a constant journey of confusion about who I am – culturally, emotionally and physically. From this feeling, I was visually inspired by how images in water can become distorted based on the container it is in and light refraction. It lends itself to the idea that we perceive things differently based on the lenses we look through. Physically, this manifests as a collection featuring sheer, structural pieces with simple, base garments underneath to support them. While the water-like garments maintain a theme of visual distortion, as you go through the collection, the water level rises which tells a story of the wearer gradually being engulfed by the water – drowning.
The brand name, “Dear Kristi”, is inspired by my maternal grandmother: Sachiko Nakamura. The labels inside of the garments are written in her handwriting as an homage to her. Fittingly, the name reminds me that this final collection is a letter to myself as I work through who I am and who I want to be.
