OVERALL AND APPAREL WINNER: YU LUN LU

Taiwan Region Overall and Apparel Winner 2022 : Yu Lun Lu

19th January 2023

Yu-Lun Lu is a composite material artist, fashion designer and illustrator based in Taipei at the Shih Chien University. She aims to insert meaning behind everything she creates. Her project ‘The Sight’ highlights the objectification and the labelling of women, it explores the concept that in certain countries and religions, exposure of body shape is a crime. Despite women following strict dress codes, the designer wanted to explore the idea that in most cases, whatever they wear can be maliciously misinterpreted in the eyes of others. With this concept in mind, the designer used the shape of a loose cloak, stitching together the shapes of the curves of the body with different materials to create a protruding profile. The thin mesh isolates the wearer and blocks the view of the outside world, symbolising a looming and fragile barrier.

INTERVIEW WITH YU LUN LU

Tell us about the inspiration behind your project:

My apparel project The sight is symbolic for the objectifications and labels that women face. At the same time, I ponder there is a correlation between women’s clothing and the chance of being abused or not.

Inspiration originally came from the exhibition in Belgian called “What were you wearing?” The displacements are clothing for victims of sexual assault. There were T-shirts, trousers, uniform, and other daily outfits; however different the clothing was it came to the same result.

Secondly, something that influenced my design was that women in some areas and religions must follow dress code rules and regulations. One rule I explored was that a woman cannot expose their body silhouette as it is portrayed as seductive and a crime. But my question is, when women follow the rules, are they truly treated properly and respectfully? The answer appears to be no, and you can see this from the data of sexual violence in these areas. So, no matter what women choose to wear even if it is tightly wrapped, they may be maliciously misinterpreted, and people might still cast a contemptuous look; In the eyes of the perpetrators, these bodies are naked, their sexual characteristics are emphasized, and they are also seen as objects that can be treated at will.

With the concept in mind, I used the shape of a loose cloak, stitched together the curves of the body with different material. I exaggerated the sexual parts such as face/chest/vagina/buttocks with three-dimensional and protruding shapes. The thin mesh is a symbol of isolation to separate the sight from the outside world; the mesh looks black from a distance, but you can still see inside when you are looking closer, symbolizing a looming and fragile barrier.

How has this competition influenced your view of working with leather in the future?

I am used to working with fabrics, sometimes with other natural materials. This experience allowed me to remember that using new materials is about learning a new lesson. There are interesting and technical details in the process and can create unexpected special results.

What are your thoughts on leather and sustainability, and how do you think leather can adapt to a fashion industry increasingly focused on sustainability?

I think products made of leather are vital and durable. Nowadays, when we focus on developing new functional and eco-friendly textiles to find where our next step is in the future fashion industry, it is time to look back on what we have already and how it can be transformed, refined, and combined with others.

What do you think makes leather a great material to design with?

Leather has many forms and textures, so it could be presented in different ways and styles according to the creations; it could be hard and firm, but also soft and smooth. For artists, designers, and any creator, that is a great feature.