DI GAO is a womenswear designer and innovator out to revolutionize the knitwear and craft industries, with a passion for creativity and by defying convention, she hopes to transform how people view crocheting and other handicrafts. Her goal is to bring a fresh perspective on craft in the 21st century by combining her expertise in fashion with the artisanal techniques she has honed over the course of her career.
Di reimagines the confluence of structure and aesthetic in a way that is integrally linked to culture and art, despite the fact that crocheting is not traditionally connected with modernity. The medium’s versatility and potential reflect the diversity of its past and current uses in fashion. The shapes she creates recall buildings, armors, and even aquatic life from her earlier collections.
Read on to learn more about Di’s influences and creative process from our conversation with her about her most recent pieces.
How did you first get into fashion design?
Growing up, it’s a bit of a cliché, but I would always draw clothes and models from my imagination. After high school, I enrolled in a fashion school without hesitating. I think it was a natural progression. Even my parents had no doubt about my choice.
What was your main inspiration behind your most recent collection?
I like to observe the surrounding things, especially the surrounding space and structure. Sometimes I sit in a random place for a while, just to feel how the environment affects me, physically and mentally. An experience that inspired me was when I visited the Chinese garden court in the Metropolitan Museum. It was an amazing place, and I sat there for two hours. I saw the skylight illumination and shadow moving above the beautiful wooden structure. The space made me relax, and I felt inner peace, which is something very hard to achieve these days, even at home or in your own room. I believe the development process of the collection is a journey to discover myself and go deeper into my being. I find it pretty scary.
How would you describe your creative process
It’s an exciting adventure for me! I love the feeling of starting with a small and abstract concept without knowing where it’s headed. Exploring the many possibilities and challenges that could lead my direction to somewhere that I’ve never thought of is fascinating.
You experiment a lot with yarn and knitwear. Is there a specific reason you worked with this medium?
Actually, I was never a big fan of knitting or yarn until I finished my first knitting piece in a class. I could see myself as an engineer who is building a machine with the needles and yarn in my hands. It opened the door to a whole new world for me.
In your recent work, you incorporate wire into your knitting technique. Can you elaborate on why?
I always want to find new possibilities for knitting. I believe it is a technique with so much potential. For my recent work, I tried to combine wire with yarn and see how these two very different materials work together. And it came out really well.
In many of your silhouettes, there is a juxtaposition of fashion and sculpture. How do you draw analogies between both disciplines?
Fashion shouldn’t be limited to a specific format or restricted by the ways to create it. I am fascinated by structural elements such as architecture, buildings, sculptures, and space, and as a fashion designer, I consider garments to be sculptures built on the human body. That’s the way I create.
Did your collection come out exactly as you envisioned it to be at the beginning of the process, or were there any unexpected challenges that made you adapt to your vision?
Oh, it’s absolutely unpredictable. And I try not to envision anything when I start. There are a lot of unexpected challenges, but I enjoy the process itself. I find a sense of satisfaction when I solve problems. And the interesting thing is, the result always comes out, how to say, very me.
You mentioned you would like to reinvent traditional handicrafts in a modern and sustainable way, but in this day and age when the majority consume fast fashion in abundance, how do you think we can overcome this overconsumption and move towards an environmentally friendly industry?
I think it needs a lot of effort from the people and companies in this industry, and, of course, the customers. The process could be slow, but I am happy to see some changes after the pandemic. People have begun to think more carefully before making a purchase. I hope when people see my work, they can also see the time and effort that I put into it. It’s nothing cold, like a machine-made product. It has been touched and polished by the creator a thousand times until you see the final look.
What is the philosophy that best describes you as creative?
Something slow but valuable.
What’s next?
I am working on a capsule collection now. I am trying to go further with the core elements and philosophy from my last season. The new collection will probably come out in a couple of months, if everything is going well.
To view more of Di Gao’s work visit their Instagram
Or visit their website
