Orbiting the West
Category: Apparel
Competitions: Taiwan Region
In an era dominated by digital screens, we often overlook the primal power of touch. To me, leather is more than a material; it is a living entity, a carrier of time and memory that breathes with us. My passion for this medium is rooted in my mother’s devotion. Our home was a sanctuary of craftsmanship, filled with the rhythmic hum of her sewing machine. Watching her infuse every stitch with love was my first lesson in design; the scent of leather became, for me, the scent of motherhood. From her, I inherited not just technical skills, but a profound respect for the creative journey. This artisanal foundation was later refined through my formal education in Digital Multimedia Design at Shih Hsin University. Majoring in animation provided me with the spatial logic and visual narrative skills I use today. My artistic sensibilities were profoundly shaped by my lifelong love for the Western aesthetic, particularly the "Space-Western" atmosphere of Cowboy Bebop. This unique blend of rugged frontier grit and futuristic cool became my creative North Star. It allows me to approach leather craft as a bridge between the virtual and the physical, translating digital structures into functional pieces that interact seamlessly with the human body. Currently, I am developing a pair of leather breeches that embody this "Space-Western" ethos. Through 3D modeling, AI-assisted design, and traditional hand-stitching, I aim to capture the dynamic movement of flowing fringes, the structural grit of rivets, and the intricate poetry of patchwork. My work bridges the artisanal soul I inherited from my mother and the narrative-driven future I have carved for myself, offering a wearable statement of freedom for the modern traveler.
