Jack Andersen
From the arid deserts of South Jordan, Utah to the lotus-lined streets of Taipei, Taiwan, Christina Chen grew up in a variety of cities throughout the world, encountering many societal and cultural influences. These diverse experiences led her to pursue a major in textile and apparel management at the University of Missouri. This academic year, as a sophomore TAM student, she designed a garment she titled the “Lotus Dress,” that incorporates the unique mosaic of her identity as a Tawainese-American.
Chen was tasked with creating a ‘60s themed item of clothing. She chose to incorporate second-wave feminism, the women’s movement beginning in the ‘60s, focusing more specifically on a prominent protest for mini skirts, which were a symbol of rebellion.
She also incorporated components of her heritage into the project. The Mandarin saying, 出淤泥而不染, which means “growing out of the mud yet remaining untainted,” was the ultimate inspiration for the dress. The saying describes the resilience of the lotus flower: how it grows out of the mud, a messy environment, yet remains untainted.
“[The dress] just kind of reminded me of that quote, because I feel like those women, they grow out of the mud, they go through so much hardship, but yet they’re so beautiful and untainted and pure,” Chen said. “And that’s kind of what I wanted to represent in the dress.”
This, along with her specific choices for the materials, brought the dress together. Chen bought chiffon fabric from fabric and craft retailer Joann and flower appliques from her sewing assistant job at Designs X Nadine, both of which she made sure were pure white.
Despite the modern take on the dress, the structure of a qipao, a traditional East-Asian styled dress, was reflected in the cape of white fabric that flowed from the collar down, the lotus flowers across the neckline and the structure of the garment.
“The dress is an East meets West vibe, and since I lived in Taiwan for a really long time, a lot of that cultural aspect, like the traditional dress, really inspired me to make this,” Chen said.
For Chen, the process was a series of tests, trials and tweaks. She started off with sketches, then collected materials and began pinning pieces onto the dress form. Next came the tedious process of sewing together each piece. Within one month, her idea came to life and was perfected. Chen’s hard work and dedication to the project was noticed by others, including her boyfriend, MU senior Cody Zhang.
“She was there every single day for that last week that it was due; she was in that lab for countless hours just working on it,” Zhang said. “I was really impressed by her work.”
The dress began as a sketch but within a few weeks it became a perfect depiction of Chen’s talent, experiences and heritage: both modern and traditional.
“I’m really proud of how my first time constructing a dress came out! Before taking this class I had no prior knowledge of sewing or pattern making so it was definitely a challenge,” Chen said.
Edited by Molly Levine | mlevine@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Chase Pray | cpray@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com
Edited by Emilia Hansen | ehansen@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com