Interviewed by Ella Johnson

I've been following Zhujing Dai on Instagram for some time now, and the lavish work of the Central Saint Martins womenswear student has something truly rare, her ability to story tell through her work. When everything today is about minimalism and all anyone ever talks about is understated basics, Dai offers a maximalist approach to fashion.

To explain every detail in Dai’s “Under the Burqa” would take ages, as it's easy to get lost in the myriad of encapsulating elements each look holds. In Look 2, the fake arms as well as large train-like cloves of fabric come off the dress- making it look less like a dress and more like a permanent art installation. Revealing the guts of the dress in a behind-the-look, showing the wooden frame and stuffed arms which give the look its shape. Dai adds a large white headpiece, atop it a sewing machine. My personal favorite is Look 3, the skirt of which is a myriad of bunched fabrics in different shades of white, laces, and tulles. 

However, the standout is  Look 1. Worn by not one model but three. A tall hooded figure cloaked in white lace and next to her is a short figure in head-to-toe black. But stealing the show, in their arms is a casket, inside is a fabric sculpture body. Not just creating the clothes for this look but Dai takes it a step further by creating the body they go on.

Taking inspiration from Swiss sculpture artist Jean Tinguely, Dai created the project “Overwork”. Featuring a half-finished pair of pants and a black face mask that gives the illusion of being scribbled over. Tinguely creates work that is a satire of overproduction and consumerism, and the bare netting and exposed metal boning in Dai's interpretation, complete the intentionally unfinished look.

Her first-year jewelry project for Central Saint Martins, “Deer in Headlights” is a grunge metal narrative of the deer in headlights, impaled by its antlers in her version. Including a metal skirt made from wire, coil, and other odds and ends, but the most attention-grabbing aspect is the headpiece. A war-inspired battle helmet, and coming out from it are two, five-foot curved metal horns, swooping down to “impale” the deer[models] sides.

Dai’s ability to tell a story through her work opens up endless possibilities for inspiration. Already Dai boasts an incredibly impressive list of features including Vogue Portugal, theVanillaIssue, Highsnobiety, and EXIT magazine to name a few.

Where are you from?

This is Zhujing(Deni) Dai. I am the first-year student in the CSM womenswear. I am from Shaoxing, the textile capital of China. Had finished the high school in California.

What encouraged you to pursue design as a career?

I grew up in my mum's clothes shop and have a strong sense of affinity and belonging to fashion. With my mum's influence, I grew up with a high aspiration for styling and fashion. I really enjoy collecting beautiful photographs, design clothes and paintings. My mum is really support me become a fashion designer.

How would you describe your style as a designer?

Vintage elegance but with an avant-garde twist

What are some of the key inspirations that influence your work? 

My personal project is concerned with social events, knowledge of different cultures, research into ethnic crafts, combined with some of the current avant-garde technologies such as Ai, modelling, etc.

How did your experience in (school/interning) forge your progression as a
designer? 

The CSM has a tight program schedule. It will develop a good time management skill for me. It will also hone my desicion making skills. It will help me to make designs more effectively. The teacher has experience in educating many good designers and is often able to effectively point out the weaknesses and strengths of my portfolio. The main thing is that my classmates are all very good, which gives me the strength to want to keep going.

What excites you about fashion?

A time to turn your designs, your imagination into real clothes. I feel like I have the magic hands to turn my dreams into reality. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment

If you could dress anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

I'm actually hoping that one day I'll be able to wear my own designs. Because I often do designs for models. I hope I can one day be brave enough to design an outfit for myself and show it off confidently like everyone else.

We are seeing a revolution in the way fashion is done. For example, brands are increasingly focused on digital mediums to share their work as a result of the pandemic. What is something specific you would change about the industry?

I think the combination of design and technology is a big trend. Including data media has also helped more people to see me. I hope I can also be a good student example and encourage more students to show themselves through digital media and make themselves available as a resource for themselves.

What are the ways you are tackling sustainability as a brand, and how does that fit into your creative process?

As a student, my funds are definitely limited. I often reduce waste in my design by recycling second-hand fabrics. As much as possible, I try to use handmade items and rarely use toxic substances to avoid polluting the environment. More meaningful bio-fabrics are also being developed in the recent denim project.

How is our modern world shaping the future of fashion? Where do we go from here?

I think that our fashion industry is rapidly changing.

A fast-paced industry. I think the fashion industry is superficially glamorous, but it's really brutal. But the best survivors in the industry are the ones who work hard and are willing to update themselves. We only have to keep learning and working hard to keep up with the times, such as our digital age, and learn more about the combination of technology and art to help us survive in the industry.

How important is sustainable/ethically made fashion and where does that fit in terms of your own design process?

I think that our fashion industry is rapidly changing.

A fast-paced industry. I think the fashion industry is superficially glamorous, but it's really brutal. But the best survivors in the industry are the ones who work hard and are willing to update themselves. We only have to keep learning and working hard to keep up with the times, such as our digital age, and learn more about the combination of technology and art to help us survive in the industry.

How important is size inclusivity to you, as well are shifting beauty standards?

I think beauty is diverse. Knowing how to learn to appreciate different kinds of beauty is, I think, a personal enhancement. Size cannot limit one's beauty and I think the instinct of a fashion designer is to bring a unique beauty to different people. I often improve and reflect on myself by learning from others. Having an inclusive mind will give me a wider world.

What should we hope to see from you in the next few years?

I expect to enrich and refine my design system even more in these years. To make my designs more exciting and hopefully produce even better designs. To be involved in more collaborations with celebrities and great stylists and photographers. Let more people like my designs. To build the foundation for my own brand.

If you could have a dinner with any six people throughout history, who would they be and why?

I would like it to be Sandro Botticelli, my favourite artist, Elon Reeve Musk, who I think has a very forward and unique mind and I would like him to talk about his plans for my brand and his vision for fashion. Margiela and John Galliano are two of my favourite designers and I would like to hear from them about the way they design and the accumulation of aesthetic improvement. Buddha and Jesus, I hope they will see my devout efforts towards fashion and that I will be blessed by them.

Photographers:

sarzyn_lyx

https://instagram.com/sarzn_lyx?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 Yaxin Liu

 Lizandro

https://instagram.com/lizandroacera?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

ZHUJING DAI

Interview par Ella Johnson

Traduit par Juliette Jordan

Photographes :

sarzyn_lyx

https://instagram.com/sarzn_lyx?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Yaxin Liu

Lizandro

https://instagram.com/lizandroacera?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Je suis Zhujing Dai sur Instagram depuis un certain temps maintenant, et le travail somptueux de l'étudiante en mode féminine de Central Saint Martins a quelque chose de vraiment rare, sa capacité à raconter une histoire à travers son travail. Alors qu'aujourd'hui tout tourne autour du minimalisme et que tout le monde ne parle que de basiques discrets, Dai propose une approche maximaliste de la mode.

Expliquer chaque détail de “Under the Burqa” de Dai prendrait des siècles, car il est facile de se perdre dans la myriade d'éléments encapsulants que contient chaque look. Dans le look 2, les faux bras ainsi que les grandes pièces de tissu en forme de traîne se détachent de la robe, ce qui la fait ressembler moins à une robe qu'à une installation artistique permanente. L'envers du décor révèle les entrailles de la robe, montrant le cadre en bois et les bras rembourrés qui donnent sa forme au look. Dai ajoute une grande coiffe blanche, surmontée d'une machine à coudre. Mon préféré est le look 3, dont la jupe est une myriade de tissus regroupés dans différentes nuances de blanc, de dentelles et de tulles.

Mais c'est le look 1 qui se distingue le plus. Il n'est pas porté par un seul mannequin, mais par trois. Une grande silhouette encapuchonnée, vêtue de dentelle blanche, et à côté d'elle, une petite silhouette vêtue de noir de la tête aux pieds. Mais ce qui vole la vedette, c'est le cercueil qu'elles tiennent dans leurs bras, à l'intérieur duquel se trouve un corps sculpté en tissu. Dai ne se contente pas de créer les vêtements pour ce look, mais va encore plus loin en créant le corps qu'elles portent.

S'inspirant de l'artiste sculpteur suisse Jean Tinguely, Dai a créé le projet " Overwork ". Il s'agit d'un pantalon à moitié terminé et d'un masque noir qui donne l'illusion d'être griffonné. Tinguely crée des œuvres qui sont une satire de la surproduction et du consumérisme, et le filet nu et l'ossature métallique exposée dans l'interprétation de Dai complètent l'aspect intentionnellement inachevé.

Son projet de joaillerie de première année au Central Saint Martins, " Deer in Headlights ", est un récit métallique grunge du cerf pris dans un faisceau de lumière, empalé par ses bois dans sa version à elle. Il comprend une jupe métallique faite de câbles, de bobines et d'autres objets hétéroclites, mais l'aspect qui retient le plus l'attention est la pièce maîtresse. Il s'agit d'un casque de combat inspiré de la guerre, d'où sortent deux cornes métalliques incurvées d'un mètre cinquante, qui descendent en piqué pour “empaler” les flancs du cerf.

La capacité de Dai à raconter une histoire à travers son travail ouvre des possibilités d'inspiration infinies. Dai peut déjà se targuer d'une liste impressionnante d'articles parus dans Vogue Portugal, theVanillaIssue, Highsnobiety et le magazine EXIT, pour n'en citer que quelques-uns.