 |
| Model: Christina Wen Photographer: Simon Stewart Stylist:Kendrick Osorio |
Miss Wong recalls the luminescent bottle of glass beads
she received from her grandmother when she was 3 years old and still
living in Mao & Jiangs Communist China. She considered this bottle of
beads her most prized possesion and the inpiration that would eventually make
her one of the West Coasts most celebrated designers.
Sue Wong tries to capture
that fleeting beauty that exists in the very fibers of both fashion and nature.
The
words of American author and poet Henry Thoreau recounting his experience
of living on Walden Pond, her inspiration:
"The true harvest of my daily
life is somewhat intangible and indescribable as tints of morning or evening.
It is a little star dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have
clutched."
Taking specifics from vintage garments from the
Twenties, Thirties and Forties, Sue extracted the hand-made detailing such as
beadwork and embroidery and redesigned an entire new garment, incorporating the
elements of the vintage embellishments into her new design.
These elaborate
creations were displayed and hung from wires suspended from the ceiling to
create a gallery effect in her boutiques. She attracted a glamorous following
including Bianca Jagger and Goldie Hawn who were drawn to the beauty, magic and
uniqueness of her designs. With complex beadwork, feathers, lace and
embroidery to enhance ultra-feminine lines, her dresses have the power to
transform any woman into a goddess.
Sue Wong never fails to astonish. It’s
hard to believe that when she was five years old, her mother bribed a border
guard with her wedding jewelry to get them out of China and into Hong Kong. A
year later, Wong and her mother finally arrived in Los Angeles. Neither spoke
English, and Wong had yet to see her father, who had come to the United States
before she was born.
Today, Sue designs about 1500 garments a year, making every
moment count isn’t a choice it’s a necessity. She’s involved in every aspect of
her business, from the designs, to sales, to making deals with Saks Fifth
Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus, to PR, to putting on events ― all on
an average of four to five hours of sleep a night.
Still employing the revered age-old couture techniques
implemented by the finest Couture houses in Europe, and evoking the allure and
glamour of various eras such as Weimar Berlin, 1930s Shanghai and Pre-code
Hollywood - every design though, belongs in the now and is decidedly very Sue
Wong; exquisite fabrics shimmering with incandescent beads, unique embroideries
and layered textures embellished with passementerie and soutache combine to
create works of art that are graceful, elegant, unique,timelessly beautiful and
truly humbling to photograph.
Sue Wong truly captures and embodies through her
work, her mantra of:
"Beauty. Magic. Transformation. "
No comments:
Post a Comment