Queenie Shu-Ying Hsiao, a fashion designer, is a recent Parsons School of Design graduate. Originally from Taiwan and now living in New York, her designs explore a balance between structure and nature. Queenie takes inspiration from her family and uses traditional tailoring techniques to create pieces that tell a unique story. Her designs collectively reflect her journey of trauma and healing, and she hopes that by drawing from her experiences, she can inspire others to start on their own path of healing and self-discovery.

Describe your background and what led you into fashion design.
My upbringing, rooted in both China and Taiwan, shaped my identity as a third-culture individual, caught between two distinct worlds. Through fine art, I found an avenue for self-expression and understanding. From an early age, I was captivated by the interplay of colors, the texture of fabrics, and the transformative power of clothing. Drawing inspiration from art, nature, and cultural diversity, I embarked on a journey into fashion design, aiming to weave these influences into my work and celebrate the beauty of multiculturalism through my creations.

What has your experience been like as a student at Parsons?
My experience at Parsons was a transformative one, distinct from my childhood and anything else I’ve seen before. It provided a dynamic and creative environment that challenged me to evolve as a designer. The diverse student body and supportive faculty fostered an atmosphere of uninhibited self-expression, allowing me to discover and embrace my true creative identity without judgment. Parsons played a pivotal role in shaping me into the designer I am today.

While studying in a competitive university environment where your work is graded, how did you focus on individuality and avoid comparing yourself to others?
In a competitive setting like Parsons, it's natural to feel the urge to compare oneself to others. However, I've learned that the key to thriving in such an environment is recognizing that everyone here pursues their passion. Being a strong designer means embracing your unique perspective. Stepping back, dedicating time to personal projects, and reconnecting with your own passions have been invaluable for me. It allows for a deeper connection with my creative drive and helps me stay true to myself in this highly competitive landscape.

What do you aim to express through your designs?
My designs represent a personal journey of healing through art, emphasizing the therapeutic and transformative power of creative expression. I want to convey that art doesn't always need to be commercial or rushed. It can be a profound source of solace and self-discovery. Drawing inspiration from my upbringing and personal experiences, my designs often touch upon themes of trauma and introspection. My goal is to demonstrate that healing and self-expression are intrinsically linked, and I use clothing as a canvas to share my own journey, offering a message of hope and resilience to others.

What techniques and materials do you use to communicate visually your experiences with healing and trauma?
In my 2023 Spring/Summer Collection, I used slashing techniques and staple closures to symbolize the concept of surgical openness. I brought together various fabrics and intentionally cut them open, reminiscent of surgical procedures, with staples serving as symbolic closures. This approach conveyed the surgical process of opening and closing as a metaphor for personal transformation. In contrast, for my 2023 Fall/Winter Collection, I frequently incorporated intricate embroidery, featuring healing words that held personal significance during the creative journey.

When designing and looking at your own trauma, is it ever difficult to work through those feelings?
When I first started designing my 2023 Fall/Winter Collection, I grappled with a sense of uncertainty. The passing of my grandfather deeply impacted me, and I was compelled to honor his memory through my creations. Initially, the process of revisiting his last possessions and memories was emotionally challenging, stirring my own recollections of our time together. There were moments when I would break down crying in sight of his clothing or photographs from before his passing. As I immersed myself in the design process I started appreciating and cherishing the memories we shared, and it became a healing journey, allowing me to uplift my spirits through the design process.

How did you learn and develop the traditional tailoring techniques in your designs?
Refining my skills in tailoring and traditional men's suiting required dedicated practice and a willingness to learn from mistakes. During the Covid period, I had the valuable opportunity to work as a pattern-making apprentice, which significantly honed my craftsmanship. I integrated these techniques into my 2023 Fall/Winter collection. Through rigorous experimentation, including draping and fabric manipulation trials, I gradually developed a curated set of techniques that I applied to create tangible and innovative clothing designs.

What were you inspired by while designing your 2023 F/W collection? What kind of office environment did you imagine?
My initial inspiration for this collection stemmed from my grandfather, a lifelong farmer who aspired to be a self-made businessman. He worked tirelessly to provide for his family, eventually collecting suits to attend events with his children in their respective workplaces. I sought to honor his legacy by fusing the essence of his agricultural life with his dreams of entrepreneurship. My vision was to create an office aesthetic that exuded a vintage and nostalgic charm, symbolizing the coexistence of two seemingly contrasting worlds: the natural, rustic aspects of farm life and the structured, professional ambiance of an office setting.

How has your interest in structural and natural forms been influenced by the landscapes of Taiwan and New York?
Taiwan's tropical landscapes, characterized by their mountainous greens left a mark on my upbringing, particularly as I watched my grandfather nurture his Guava trees on our farm. The sheer beauty of Taiwan's natural scenery has consistently fascinated me, and I was eager to capture this inspiration in my collection. Conversely, New York's urban landscape is marked by its structural rigor, where living spaces are confined to boxes and streets align in a grid-like pattern. I wanted to infuse my designs with the essence of this duality between the two places I've called home, intertwining the organic beauty of Taiwan's nature with the structured, urban environment of New York.

Where would you like your designs to go in the future, and will there be a commercial aspect to your brand?
In the future, my ultimate goal is to establish my own brand where I can share my personal narratives through clothing. I envision a brand that focuses on creating made-to-order pieces rather than adhering to a purely commercial model. This approach aligns with my vision of offering unique, personalized designs that resonate with individuals on a deeper level.

What are your thoughts on the runway, or the best way to photograph and present your work?
While walking the runway at New York Fashion Week is a dream I aspire to, as an emerging designer, I find it more cost-effective and practical to focus on establishing my own studio space and sharing my unique narrative through my designs. For now, the ability to create and tell my story using my own platform is the priority, and it serves as a meaningful way to showcase my creations.

What characterizes your brand? Are there principles that guide your designs?
My brand primarily focuses on workwear, where I strive to craft high-end, enduring garments that become essential staples in everyone's wardrobe. My foundational design principal centers around pattern making, as I believe it's crucial for designers to grasp the fundamental basics of this craft and then explore its boundaries to forge innovative clothing. I generally avoid rigid principles because I believe that embracing the limitless realms of creativity, no matter how unconventional, often results in the most exciting and enjoyable designs.

What are the themes explored in your 2023 S/S collection photoshoot, and how does this concept tie in with your designs?
My vision for this photo shoot was to evoke a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of the early 90s, creating an office-like ambiance that harks back to my parent's generation and their experiences as working professionals and entrepreneurs. Through my designs, I wanted to pay tribute to my grandfather's aspirations and the fruits of his labor as a farmer, which ultimately paved the way for his children to become successful businessmen. It's a narrative that celebrates the intergenerational pursuit of dreams and hard work.

CREW CREDITS:
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz + @mikeruiz.one
Photographer: Alana Campbell
Talent: Queenie Shu-Ying Hsiao
Model: Susie Yan
Make-up Artist: Yunqi Ying
Hair: Claudia Cheuk
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Mia Fyson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine