Yunyi Zhang, a fashion and accessory designer based in New York and Shanghai, has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Parsons School of Design. Through her fine arts perspective, she seeks to create independent installations that explore the juxtaposition between delicate materials and architectural forms. Her interactive pieces invite her audience to play with the endless possibilities of dressing and experience a sense of freedom and comfort. Yunyi integrates new technology and unconventional materials with traditional techniques into her designs, to create a tactile sensation and futuristic aesthetic.

Describe your background and what led you into fashion and accessory design.
I come from an artsy family background. My grandparents were all about fashion, especially making lace and crochet stuff. So, I grew up accompanied by sewing machines and textiles. I've been into art since I was around kindergarten age, and I always loved drawing cute little figures. I was also very curious about gemstones and pearls, so I ended up taking a jewelry design class at Parsons. That's where I got hooked on accessory design.

What has your experience been like as a student at Parsons?
Studying at Parsons has allowed me to explore and develop in fields such as AI technology, digital fashion, accessory design, Dubied machine knitting, etc. The equipment at school allowed more in-depth studies of the techniques and areas that I was interested in. Besides the facilities, what I enjoyed is the positive work environment in all of my classes. Everyone in my classes, including my professors and my peers, was respectful and supportive towards each other.

While studying in a competitive university environment where your work is graded, how did you focus on individuality and avoid comparing yourself to others?
Personally, a competitive environment is part of what motivates me to work. It stimulated many inspirational ideas and thoughts. I tried my best to focus on myself and my work instead of worrying about others. As for grades, Parsons usually only gives grades for midterm and final projects so a huge portion of my energy and effort went into those projects since they needed a tremendous amount of research, experimentation, and documentation.

What characterizes your brand? Are there distinctive features incorporated into your designs?
If I had to describe my brand in a few words, I would say it is futuristic, sustainable, and in a “self-nouveau” form. I focus on exploring the relationship between the human mind and body from different perspectives. It is my hope that the wearers discover new selves and identities from wearing my designs. In my opinion, I believe that garments, or fashion in general, are a manifestation of our identities and consciousness.

What is the intention behind your “Immortal Mind” collection? How have you integrated 3D modeling into the garments?
The “Immortal Mind” collection is a speculative collection. It intends to explore the future of BCI and the endless possibilities and lead the way for the audience to think about the future of brain-computer interface (BCI). “Immortal Mind” is a fashion manifestation of a possible human future where existence is redefined by choices. In a future where existence can be altered by the brain-computer interface, individuals encounter the choice of immortality in the cloud or preservation of the mortal body for future resurrection.

I aimed to convey the ideas of comfort and protection through the concept of a future exoskeleton in this collection. Using yarn, a soft material, as the inner layer, I incorporated 3D printed elements for added protection, which can be worn as a garment, used as an accessory, or displayed as standalone installations.

What are the themes explored in the “Immortal Mind” photoshoot? What do you look for in terms of location, lighting, and composition?
In the “immortal Mind” photoshoot, I designed two sets with a black background with neon lights and mirrors in order to create a mysterious and futuristic atmosphere. The body archive set is my most important set as it symbolizes the concepts of protection and comfort. Meanwhile, the “operation” set was designed in the hope of using abstract body language as a form of performance art to represent the process of uploading the mind to the cloud.

What kind of interactive experience do you hope to create for your viewers?
I hope to optimize my viewers’ self-consciousness in choosing their garments as well as their experience by designing all my garments to be detachable. My viewers can create different silhouettes as they please with the individual pieces. The versatility of the garments lets them be inclusive with different body types. For example, the puff quilted piece in look 2 features several snaps that serve a dual purpose. These snaps not only allow the wearers to connect the front and back pieces but also enable them to transform them into four or more distinct looks, depending on the wearer's preference.

Additionally, on the inner edge, 3D printed buttons are used as connectors to the inner crocheted base. The inherent flexibility of crochets combined with these buttons lets wearers decide whether they prefer to style it as a midi skirt or a maxi one.

What techniques and materials do you use to visually communicate themes of tension and freedom?
In my "Self-nouveau" collection, I employed robust materials like wires and 3D modeling to construct architectural structures. Following the construction of the inner framework, I applied thin yarns and elastic fabric to envelop the surface. The yarn nestled between the wires highlights its inherent tension, appearing delicate at first glance. However, with the addition of layers upon layers, it evolves into a resilient and powerful aesthetic. The combination of fragile and resilient properties of tension serves as a manifestation of the strong desire for freedom.

How has your interest in architectural structures been influenced by the landscapes of New York and Shanghai?
My initial interest in architectural structures was sparked by the interior structure and spatial design of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. Modern architectural designs inspired me to cover the structure of the garments, constructed with sturdy wire, using stretchy fabric as well as crochet art.

How did you learn and develop the traditional crocheting techniques in your designs?
I love to go to Materials for the Arts, New York's largest creative reuse center, where a lot of dead stock art materials are available for artists. While crocheting with unconventional materials can be challenging, I relish experimenting with them. My motivation extends beyond sustainability; it's about exploring new visual possibilities that conventional yarn cannot achieve. For instance, working with sustainable plant foam sheets allows me to leverage their hollow structures, creating an opportunity to crochet around them and incorporate them into the garment's finishes. Throughout my experiments, I discovered that the combination of a unique nylon yarn (similar to the one used in Look 1) and fishing lines perfectly embodied my concept of a "soft armor." Additionally, I conducted experiments to strike a balance between the soft and hard elements of the garments by crocheting around the 3D printed pieces.

What is one material that you would like to work with in your designs?
I would love to explore more in various biomaterials as part of my deep dive into speculative design. I can envision the vast potential of these naturally occurring substances, with their inherent properties such as waterproofing, biodegradability, and semi-transparency. In the future fashion industry, these materials could offer significant possibilities, not only as eco-friendly alternatives to genuine leather and PVC items that harm the environment but also for their potential to introduce additional functionalities into fashion products.

As a designer interested in new technologies, is it possible to create anything that you can imagine, or do you find yourself sometimes restricted?
I believe there are infinite possibilities for every technique or material; this also applies to new technologies. The creative possibilities can even be expanded since many new technologies are so accessible and user-friendly. When I was designing the 3D model piece, I could envision its final appearance on my computer screen. This saved me a significant amount of effort, as it eliminated the need for continuous manual revisions, which would have been time-consuming. Nevertheless, I found myself restricted by time constraints as well as regulations such as the maximum weight and size set by factories when working with third printings. However, these challenges encoiraged me to find innovative ways to navigate these challenges and push the boundaries of what's possible.

You view your works as installations rather than ready-to-wear garments. Where would you like your designs to go in the future, and will there be a commercial aspect?
I view my works as having both functions. While some components can be shown as an art installation, the detachable features of my designs give a ready-to-wear aspect to the garments. This versatility is something I believe should be explored further for potential commercial production in the future. In addition to creating custom wear, I would also like to develop more body embracing pieces that serve as artworks as well.

CREW CREDITS:
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz + @mikeruiz.one
”Immortal Mind Series”
Designer & Creative Director: Yunyi Zhang
Producer: Ling Qu, Roku Jingwen Long
Director & Writer: Roku Jingwen Long
AD: Joy Wu
DP: Gianna Badiali
Gaffer: Kenny Ding
PD: Devon Lin
Art Assistant: Wei Wei, Phoebe Lin
AC: Max Zhang
Still Photographer: Zaccheo Zhang
Models: Mya Faith, Brenda Mutoni
Hair Stylist: Francheska Nieves
Makeup: Kaia Shi
Editing/Coloring/VFX: Andrew Yang
Music&Sound service by Icing Media, Delu Duan
Designer Assistant: Kelly Qi, Ziqi Zhang
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Mia Fyson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine