Archives

The Birth of Amur

Protection for a new life in the frontier. That was what Amur eventually evolved into.

In the beginning, there were belts and shawls. Not contend with accessories however, we dreamt of bigger things. What better way to showcase one’s propensity for fabrics, cuts and construction than long outerwear?

The Evolution of A Garment and The Importance of Obsession in Design

To present a piece of creative work to the world is to throw away a…

Notes from The Tea Plantation

Fashion is an industry that is obnoxious, loud and extroverted. To do well, one must…

A Deeper Look into ROSEN’s NOON Collection

Noon started with outlines of garments in my head. They were enormous creatures; giants looming…

Issey Miyake APOC Inside Cardigan SS2011

By The Grace of Miyake

Humans are strange creatures. We pin our self-esteem on our beliefs. When our beliefs are validated, we feel good about ourselves. When they’re being contradicted, we often take it as a personal attack.

ROSEN: NOON

Part I: A Wandering Noon Part II: A Descending Noon Part III: A Homeward-Bound Noon…

On the Rising Homogeneity of Textiles in Fashion Industry

Homogeneity in fashion – both in design, and especially in its material use – is on the rise, owing to the transfer of decision-making power from the creatives to the marketers and merchandisers under the diktat of the managerial class, who prioritises quick returns over risky creative ideas in a bid to remain competitive in this social-media driven market.

An Ode to My Role Models

With the passing of Ryuichi Sakamoto and Issey Miyake, I prepared my farewell to the incoming end of an era, while facing the tsunami of celebrated mediocrity.

ROSEN Parachute Coat

Designing A Writer’s Outfit Pt. II

In the previous segment of this writer’s outfit project, I went into great detail about…

Designing A Writer’s Outfit, Pt. I

In which I started designing an outfit for myself because I got bored of my sweatshirt and cargo pants combo, which I wore to work everyday for almost the entire holiday season.

The Earhart: A Masochist’s Journey

A tale of creative pain and suffering encapsulated within a single garment

The Silk Bible

The continuously-updated fabric guide to silk for modern fashion design

A Summer Retrospective

In which I revisit summer-appropriate looks that spanned almost a decade

We Need to Change Because The Big Guys Won’t

It is time we recognise that we live in a rentier fashion ecosystem. Corporate earnings are funnelled to the upper echelons off the backs of workers from distant lands. There’s no changing the status quo unless we figure out how the game works.

“It’s The Economy, Stupid”: The Rise of Neoliberalism and Its Control on Fashion

A look into how this predatory form of transnational capitalism manipulates fashion industry for the benefits of the 21st century landlord class

ROSEN Sophora Dress

Building A Fashion Brand with A Purpose

How to compete in this cutthroat industry we call fashion by building a brand with meaning and humility.

On The Cusp of 2022

In which I wrote another essay on the train, zipping from the South to the North of China on a pilgrimage to seek a master.

How The Feds are Shaping Your Purchases: An Imminent Loss of Power in Consumer Choices

In late March 2020, the pandemic was beginning to grip the Western hemisphere. A few…

Four Ways to Start Your Fashion Design Career

Some time ago I wrote an essay regarding the initial considerations you should mull over…

In The Grounds of Ganden Sumtseling Monastery – A Gateway to Tibet

It is hard to believe that Shangri-La exists as an actual place. Unlike Yunnan’s other…

A Call for Hard Truths and Contemplation

We have to come to terms with the ugly truths on how the world is run before we can determine our purpose in life

Fashion As A Career: Initial Considerations

As fashion is becoming more fashionable, especially through the rise of visually-driven materialistic social media,…

A Guide to Affordable Fashion Editorial Production

A couple of weeks ago, I had a dream that I could still recall clearly.…

Balancing Fantasy and Reality

Contemplating destruction and decay while walking around Shanghai’s old neighbourhood

A Simplified Guide to Clothing Production

Prologue Four months ago, I embarked on an ambitious journey to design ROSEN-X garments I…

A New State of Affairs

I started this blog before I went to university, which was roughly a decade ago.…

Cultivating The Gardens of ROSEN

It goes without saying that most of us are not having a jolly good time…

A Look Into Modern Issey Miyake

When we talk about ethical fashion brands, Issey Miyake is usually not the first name…

Junya Watanabe’s Army

Junya Watanabe parka, wool shirt and parachute jacket; Y's trousers; Margiela tabi boots; Alexander Wang…

Issey Miyake’s Technical Outerwear

Issey Miyake, creating technical outerwear for the everyday since the 70s. Discover the selection of…

A Message for 3226 – A Look into ROSEN’s Operations

Adhering to The Norm ROSEN has never followed fashion cycle nor seasons, nor any pre-determined…

Living with The Virus – An Aftermath

The cold winter days seem to have disappeared, leaving behind warm sunshine, brisk cool winds…

Balenciaga’s Trench Coat – A Tale of Deconstruction

Balenciaga FW2016 Trench Coat Joseph Trousers Sacai Wedge Boots

Living with The New Virus Behind The Firewall – Part One

In late February, Pudong airport was operating as usual despite the lower volume of traffic.…

Want to Be Rich? Don’t Work in Fashion

Fashion and Its Charming Front Fashion is built on the illusion of grandeur, beauty, creativity,…

The Less Known Challenges of Running A Fashion Business

It has been a few years since I began working on ROSEN. Along the way,…

Where Will We Go After Faking Sponsored Contents?

The Atlantic loves to report on current trends of Instagrammers, which is frankly quite eye-opening…

Defining Androgyny and Elimination of Gender Codes in Fashion

Ever since I discovered the likes of Rick Owens and Comme des Garçons many years…

The Growth of Made-To-Order Business Model

Vogue Business recently published a piece on the rising popularity of made-to-order business model. It…

Issey Miyake Madame T

Madame B

Bov left the house shortly after her husband had departed for work. It was a…

Clothing Serves A Need; Fashion Serves Desires.

Ten years ago I was interning as a graphic designer at a clothing manufacturing company…

Moganshan – In Search of A Room of One’s Own

It’s hard to remember the last time I found solitude – the kind of solitude…

Clothes vs. Physical State – Which Matters More?

A week ago I held an informal poll on my Instagram story. The question I…

Balenciaga’s Instagram – Genius, or Shortsighted?

As someone who thinks a lot about social media marketing strategy, I have to observe…

Rose in Comme Revisited

Some weeks ago I turned 31, marking an ever closer milestone to a decade-long dive…

ROSEN

The Melancholy of Modernity – A Look into ROSEN’s Inspiration

I am by nature a visual person, so plucking ideas from personal experiences and turning…

Techwear – An Observation

I think it’s best that you give me less work. This way I will be…

ROSEN-X 2.0

Aeon Jacket Aeon Jacket Callisto Trousers in 2L Nylon Orion Anorak Orion Anorak Suijin Hakama…

A New Stage

Ever since ROSEN was created, I have always used deadstock fabrics found in the local…

ROSEN VI – The Joy and Pain of Making Clothes

There are three different kinds of hard work. Some work is hard because it’s laborious…

What I Think About When I Think About Buying Clothes

“Should I get it, or should I not?” That’s the question that I often found…

ROSEN-X

At the time of writing, the plane was flying somewhere over Australia’s Northern Territory. I…

What Is It Like to Produce in China?

In continuation from the last post about clothing production, I would like to post an…

ROSEN V – One Night in Beijing

All ROSEN garments are available on ROSEN-STORE.COM.

A Sneak Preview of ROSEN’s Next Venture

If at first you don’t succeed, walk. Whenever I begin a new project at full…

A New Development in ROSEN

Everytime I plan and do the samples for a new collection, self-doubt creeps in. ROSEN…

Lessons I’ve Learnt Upon Turning Thirty

Some weeks ago, I entered a new decade of my life. Here are some things…

ROSEN IV – The Gardens of Suzhou

Orwellian Coat O-Ren Coat Hanzo Hakama

ROSEN IV – The Journey

Another flight, another essay. Sitting on the plane seems to be the only chance I…

Issey Miyake’s Parachute Coat

Issey Miyake parachute coat Unbranded compression shirt and joggers Ann Demeulemeester boots

Mao’s Disappointment – A Look into China’s Materialism

The time is two in the morning. I am sitting on the plane as I…

Balenciaga’s Shearling, Again

Balenciaga by Nicholas Ghesquière Aviator Shearling ROSEN Brontë Shirt ROSEN Ingvar Trousers Margiela Techno Tabi…

So You’re Thinking of Buying The Triple S

When it comes to sneakers, I prefer to be the benchwarmer than a key player.…

The Tale of Tony Takitani – Part 2

As the summer heat gave way to the cool breeze of autumn, Tony Takitani grew…

The Tale of Tony Takitani

Tony Takitani was by no means a remarkable man from his outwardly appearance. He lived…

Sirens’ Song

The train whisks us past Osaka. It’s the end of autumn. Beautiful green foliage is…

A Look Into Our Design Mishaps

At ROSEN we don’t make overly complicated clothing. Despite that we do encounter problems in…

The Birth of The O-Ren

In my quest to catch up with Eastern literature, I started on a third book…

In Which I Grappled with Japan’s Dark History

It was seven in the morning when I decided to head south of my Airbnb…

Shadows of Kyoto

The rooms at the Waranjiya are about nine feet square, the size of a comfortable…

A Visit to Kyoto

I sat by the window typing these words, accompanied by the gentle roar of the…

Rick Owens via The Rosenrot | For The Love of Avant-Garde Fashion

An Interview

There is a real contrast that I love between the layered voluminous styling, the high…

Rick Owens in Hangzhou

Longjing Tea Plantation, West Lake, Hangzhou Discover ROSEN’s selection of Rick Owens archive pieces

Championing Solitude in The Instagram Era

There’s the old cliché attributed to Yohji Yamamoto of black representing the desire to be…

Double, Double, Boil and Trouble: A Look into Boiled Wool

Let’s get technical and talk about fabric. After all, I am in the business of…

Observing Shanghai – A Year Later

Outside of central Shanghai lies a small water town called Qibao. A Chinese water town…

Why I Was Not Disappointed by The Met Gala

The key to avoiding disappointments is to not have expectations. Which is why the Met…

Vandalize – Undercover’s Mysterious Partner

I’ve only started fully appreciating Undercover when its designer Jun Takahashi released the Borremans collection…

Long Live Issey Miyake

I was always interested in making clothing that is worn by people in the real…

Anonymity of A Trench Coat

Ah the classic trench coat. A ubiquitous garment with a rich history we now take…

ROSEN’s First Prototypes

I like big shirts and I cannot lie. So I had a few shirts made…

Finding Respite in Hangzhou’s West Lake

As the sun was setting, fog soon descended. Walking down the dimly-lit roads lined with…

French Militaria in Daikanyama

Wearing vintage French army coat and trousers; Alexander Wang x H&M top; Ann Demeulemeester trousers…

Balenciaga Aviator in Tokyo

Balenciaga Shearling Aviator; Alexander Wang x H&M Bra; Unbranded Compression Shirt; Ann Demeulemeester trousers and…

Unmasking The Bullshit of Empowerment in Consumerism

I was scouring the web for various reading materials when I chanced upon this article…

Zhu Chongyun’s Steadfast Nomadism

I had always had a problem with my water heater ever since I moved into…

Introducing The Latest Designer Throwing about The Word Artisanal

When the CFDA (Council of Fashion Design America) called Greg Lauren to tell him Banana…

The Enduring Feminism of Rick Owens

Friendship with women is different from that with men. Personally I find it easier to…

The Rise of Overpriced, Overhyped Streetwear

Gone are the days of streetwear being led by skaters and surfers. They are now replaced by friends and insiders of music industry with massive clout

Comme des Garçons 'Inifinity of Tailoring

Rose in Comme in Tokyo

It is no secret that Rei Kawakubo often recycles certain motifs over the years. This…

Rick Owens via The Rosenrot | For The Love of Avant-Garde Fashion

Gender Ambiguity on The Runway

I don’t remember the last time I wrote about a trend analysis on this blog,…

Why The Feminist in Me Loves Comme Des Garçons

It’s no secret that I am deeply fond of Comme des Garçons, and often I’ve…

The Brilliance of Issey Miyake: A Retrospective

Ask someone to name the greatest designer to come out of Japan, Rei Kawakubo would…

View Comments (0)

Leave a Reply