Massey University

New Zealand

Jing He

Assimilation // Annexation

Jing’s intent is to disrupt and question bridal wear. ‘Assimilation // Annexation’ exposes and confronts the institution of marriage from a cultural perspective. The collection embodies diverse Asian feminine identities and voices, by performing and capturing moments of Jing’s mother’s life through transformed bridal dresses, exploring loss, memory and nostalgia. The white wedding dress functions as a stereotype of femininity with hidden symbolism through cultural tradition and social rituals for women. By covering the model’s face, Jing asks the audience to focus on the clothing rather than the model's gender identity. In the future Jing wants to provide an up-cycling service for brides to bring their mothers’ wedding dresses to be transformed into a new design, disregarding the idea that a wedding dress is only for one day.