Shangyue Chen

The sounds of tools, the dust on clothes, and the sight of people working with their whole bodies were a large part of my upbringing. Back then, I didn’t have the language to describe what I was observing, but I knew their uniforms never quite matched the reality of their labour.This project sits at the intersection of these two threads: the world I grew up around and the world I chose to enter. Climbing with construction workers brought me back to the people who shaped my understanding of labour and dignity. It also reminded me that fashion at its core can and is a form of care. Designing for this group became less about proposing a new silhouette and more about paying attention to their bodies, strain, heat, movement, and the quiet frustrations workers carry every day. Using draping, flat pattern cutting, and wear testing with workers, the garments integrate articulated silhouettes, ventilated zones, and inclusive sizing. Rooted in both personal history and critical design thinking, this project aims to show that construction workwear can protect the body—and respect the person inside it.