Grandparents' SUOYI

Category: Apparel

In early Chinese society, people working in agriculture would wear a suoyi (traditional straw raincoat) on rainy days to keep dry. When I was young and returned to my family home in Yunlin, I would always take a closer look at the raincoat passed down from my grandparents. I often wondered, “Why has this garment lasted for so long?” I later realized that its durability comes from the intricate craftsmanship—the interwoven leaves and meticulous handwork. This reminded me of leather, another material derived from nature. Inspired by this, I aim to design a set of garments using natural materials such as leather, linen, and cotton yarn, creating pieces that, like the suoyi I saw in my grandparents’ home, can be preserved and passed down through generations.