Poem Sapce Lole Koena Liʻiliʻi by Bonan Li

Poem Sapce Lole Koena Liʻiliʻi by Bonan Li is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Keleawe in Hoʻolālā Lole, ʻAʻahu a me Kāpili Competition Category.

KeleaweLole· 2025

Poem Sapce Lole Koena Liʻiliʻi

by Bonan Li

Client: Bonan Li Studio

A' Design Award Keleawe Winner in Lole Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #169597

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Poem Sapce Lole Koena Liʻiliʻi

He lole koena liʻiliʻi ʻo Poem Sapce e hoʻohui ana i kahi ʻano ʻoihana peʻa hou me ka ʻoki koena ʻole. Hana ʻia ke kapa mai nā lole ulana lima i hana ʻia e nā mea hana kūloko ma kekahi mau wahi, e mālama ana i nā ʻano ulana kuʻuna. ʻO ka ʻemi ʻana o ke kapa ma kahi kikoʻī ke hoʻokumu i ke ʻano o ke kapa, e hana ana i nā peʻa ʻekolu ʻano kiʻi kūlohelohe ma kahi o ka ʻoki ʻana i ka mea kapa. Hoʻopaʻa ʻia kēlā me kēia kūlana peʻa me ka lima a kuhikuhi ʻia ma luna o ka pahupaʻa no ka hana ʻana i nā pūʻulu liʻiliʻi. ʻO nā peʻa kālai kiʻi e neʻe pū ana me ke kino, e hāʻawi ana i ka ʻoluʻolu a me ke kūkulu paʻa.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Keleawe

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Poem Sapce Lole Koena Liʻiliʻi i ka A' Design Award Keleawe, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kūʻokoʻa i ʻike ʻia ma o ka hana noʻeau, ka akamai a me ka makakoho. He mau hana mākaukau a hana noʻeau kupaianaha nā lanakila Keleawe e hōʻoia ana i ka ʻike nui, ka noʻonoʻo a me ka maʻalea o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Poem Sapce Lole Koena Liʻiliʻi he mea i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia, he ʻoihana a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Keleawe e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana, a maikaʻi no kona nānā ʻana i nā kikoʻī. Hoʻokō maikaʻi ka hoʻolālā Poem Sapce Lole Koena Liʻiliʻi i nā pono, hoʻopā i ka makemake, hoʻohiwahiwa i nā manaʻo a huki i ka makemake e ʻike.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The Shrink Pleat Minimal Waste Dress redefines sustainable fashion by integrating innovative pleating techniques with zero-waste cutting. Crafted from locally handwoven fabrics sourced globally, this design preserves traditional craftsmanship while reducing energy consumption. By harnessing localized fabric shrinkage, it forms organic, three-dimensional silhouettes with minimal material waste.
Dimensions & Packaging: Length: 1500 mm x Width: 800 mm x Thickness: 50 mm
Tags: sustainable fashion, zero-waste design, innovative pleating, fabric shrinkage technique, handwoven textiles, three-dimensional garment, traditional craftsmanship, small-batch production, sculptural fashion, eco-conscious design
Production Technology: The design employs zero-waste cutting and an innovative pleating technique that utilizes localized fabric shrinkage to create organic, three-dimensional forms. Each pleat position is meticulously hand-fixed and mapped onto cardboard for small-batch production, ensuring precision and minimizing waste in the manufacturing process.
Design Challenge: The most challenging aspect of this project was balancing sustainability with structural innovation. Achieving precise pleat placement through fabric shrinkage required extensive testing, as different textiles reacted unpredictably. Additionally, sourcing ethically handwoven fabrics while maintaining production feasibility posed logistical challenges. Overcoming these obstacles involved iterative experimentation, collaboration with artisans, and refining techniques to ensure both aesthetic integrity and minimal waste.
Research: This research explores sustainable garment construction through fabric behavior analysis and zero-waste design. The objective was to develop an innovative pleating method that minimizes waste while enhancing three-dimensionality. Using an experimental approach, I tested localized fabric shrinkage and pleat fixation techniques, documenting results through draping, hand-marking, and pattern adjustments. Material tests were conducted to study fabric reactions, with findings informing a scalable, small-batch production model. The research promotes sustainability by reducing textile waste and preserving traditional weaving techniques.
Inspiration: The intersection of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary sustainability inspired the Shrink Pleat Minimal Waste Dress. I sought to challenge conventional garment construction by exploring fabric behavior through pleating and shrinkage techniques. Drawing from research on localized textile manipulation, I developed a method to create dynamic, sculptural forms while minimizing waste. This project reflects my commitment to preserving heritage weaving techniques.
Project Duration: This project was exhibited in Cave of the Day, Cave of the Night in Brooklyn, New York. It began in New York in 2013 and was completed in mid-2014 in New York.
Operation Flow: The Shrink Pleat Minimal Waste Dress transforms through a unique pleating method that shapes the fabric organically using controlled shrinkage. Instead of traditional cutting, the fabric naturally adjusts, creating sculptural folds that move with the body. Each pleat is carefully placed to enhance form and flexibility, offering comfort and structure. This approach reduces fabric waste while achieving a dynamic, flowing silhouette that feels effortless yet meticulously crafted.
Image Credits: Photographer Hao Zeng