Gold Costume and Heritage Wear Design · 2024
Fashionable Guan Gong Stage Wear
- A' Design Award 2024 Gold Winner in Costume and Heritage Wear Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: Liangi International Co., Ltd
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 120,504
- Verification code E5F69C0F9C · Verify this award
About Fashionable Guan Gong Stage Wear
Drawing inspiration from the attire of Guan Gong, the deity worshipped at the Puji Temple in Daxi, Taiwan, boasting over a century of intangible cultural heritage. This work challenges the representation of Eastern deity culture through Western three-dimensional tailoring. Simultaneously, it employs digital algorithms to explore the application of textile technology in traditional hand-embroidered works, aiming to reduce weight and enhance durability. Main techniques embroidered fabric labels, embroidery, and the application of mixed media in ethnic stage wear design.
LIANGI INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.'s Fashionable Guan Gong Stage Wear represents a distinguished achievement in contemporary heritage costume design, demonstrating how traditional theatrical regalia may be reinterpreted through innovative material combinations and sculptural vision while maintaining profound respect for cultural legacy. The ensemble draws upon centuries-old traditions of ceremonial performance attire, wherein elaborate headdresses, layered robes, and symbolic embroidery served to transform performers into embodiments of legendary figures and cultural ideals. The designer's approach synthesizes these venerable conventions with contemporary fashion sensibilities, creating a work that functions simultaneously as functional stage costume and wearable sculptural art. The headdress merits particular attention for its ambitious integration of disparate elements—delicate golden wirework suggesting traditional metalsmithing techniques, boldly curved horn-like structures introducing dramatic silhouette, jewel-toned cabochons providing chromatic punctuation, and cascading beaded ornaments creating kinetic potential that would animate with the wearer's movement. The robe's emerald brocade displays exceptional textile craftsmanship, its wave-patterned silver embroidery creating surface rhythm while maintaining the substantial visual weight appropriate to ceremonial garments. The multicolored shoulder embroidery depicting a mythological creature demonstrates virtuosic needlework integrating numerous thread colors into a cohesive decorative program. The deep navy organza cape introduces theatrical dynamism, its translucent quality allowing light passage while extending the costume's visual footprint into space. This work invites contemplation of how cultural traditions may be honored and extended through creative innovation—how might heritage preservation and artistic evolution exist in generative dialogue rather than opposition?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The innovation of this design is mainly reflected in the application of The fabric incorporates cross-disciplinary textile production applications, utilizing embroidered fabric labels, embroidery techniques, and lace to simulate traditional embroidery craftsmanship with both design and innovative applications. The integration of digital improvements into traditional embroidery processes accelerates production time, resulting in a fashionable yet culturally distinctive performance costume. This approach transforms the costume into a decorative art form, adding tension and expressiveness. The application of traditional embroidery patterns infuses the artwork with vibrant.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Variable sizes
- Tags
- Stage Wear, Fashion design, National costume, Label, Embroidery, Traditional craft culture, Creative design, Costume, Culture creative, Installation art
- Production Technology
- The primary techniques involve materials and applications of embroidered fabric labels, embroidery, and mixed media. Applying the embroidered fabric label technique to create traditional embroidered lions involves infusing Spun Polyester thread in the middle of this material for effective shaping and support. Digital printing, Nylon yarn, and embroidery techniques are utilized to portray the cultural spirit of mountains and seas in Chinese culture. Additionally, this material serves as a decorative element, enhancing the visual appeal by securely adorning the costume design.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge lies in how to express Eastern deity culture through modern Western three-dimensional tailoring. Utilizing digital algorithms and researching the application of textile technology in traditional hand-embroidery works to reduce the weight and enhance the wear resistance of traditional embroidery pieces. The dragon and lion motifs on the clothing are not created using embroidery techniques but are extracted through trademark production methods. What I want to discuss is the new possibilities of traditional craft culture in contemporary design.
- Project Duration
- The project started in June 2023 in Taipei and finished in July 2023 in Taipei, and was exhibited in Daxi Martial Arts Hall of Fine Arts in July 2023.
- Operation Flow
- This work is not only wearable clothing, but also can be regarded as an installation art. The work incorporates mixed media (embroidered fabric labels, embroidery, aluminum wire, cotton paper, mesh) to create hats, clothing, and stylistic accessories. The artwork showcases an aesthetically pleasing overall design, and possesses significant artistic value for observation and appreciation.
- Research
- Researching the intangible cultural heritage of over a century from the Puji Temple in Daxi, Taiwan, focusing on the deity Guan Gong, this involves studying the intricacies of the attire. Emphasizing the wide robes and large sleeves, the attire showcases the highest level of traditional carving artistry, known as the "Embracing Longevity" style. The clothing design embodies the concept of both literary and martial prowess, symbolizing the spirit of loyalty, righteousness, and bravery in Chinese culture. Guan Gong holds significance as a vital deity in Taiwan's folk belief culture.
- Inspiration
- Drawing inspiration from the traditional clothing style of the statue of Guan Sheng Dijun at Taiwan's Daxi Puji Temple, an intangible cultural heritage with a history of over a century. The aspiration is to break away from the singularity of traditional divine clothing embroidery culture, utilizing modern textile technology and craftsmanship to revive traditional techniques. Creating a unique and narrative-driven ethnic performance costume based on the historical and cultural aspects of Guan Gong.
- Image Credits
- Copyright by LIANG-I WU,
Image #1: Photographer CHIA-HAO HSU，2023
Image #2: Photographer CHIA-HAO HSU，2023
Image #3: Photographer CHIA-HAO HSU，2023
Image #4: Photographer CHIA-HAO HSU，2023
Image #5: Photographer CHIA-HAO HSU，2023
Model: CHI-HSIANG LI，2023 - Patents
- Patented. Patent No.M649328. Patent Holder to LIANG-I WU. From December 11, 2023, to July 20, 2033. Jurisdiction by Intellectual Property Office, Ministry of Economic Affairs, R.O.C.
For copyrights: "Copyrights belong to LIANG-I WU/CHI-HSIANG LI, 2023”