Manling Fu

This project is adapted from the Hong Kong feminist novel Androgyny. It tells the story of a woman who enters the mountains in search of a parthenogenetic lizard named Androgyny.

The costume takes the Chinese cheongsam as its prototype. Imprints of hands pressing against the body are scattered across its surface, symbolizing the pain, oppression, and misunderstanding endured by women in a patriarchal society. 

Technically, the design is inspired by fabric glues containing latex. Lace trims and lace fabrics are combined with latex to create a semi-transparent, textured surface with a leather-like quality. This approach transforms a highly feminized textile into a material that conveys women’s strength and wildness. In addition, silicone with spandex forms organic folds with a sculptural quality.

This costume, like the novel which inspired it, demonstrates that women should not be reduced to walking organs, nor be defined by the opposite sex. They possess strength, intelligence, and courage.