Designer Jiayi Che’s [IG] collection ‘Marginalia’ juxtaposes the historical realms of late medieval to early Renaissance Western highbrow fashion. The moment was chaotic in its collision of diametrically opposed ideas, establishment ideologies and allegiances.

Che creates beautiful clothes that possess an inherent harmony, blurring the distinctions between modernity and tradition. Call them ‘wearable art’ and their beauty is like a siren call.

The young designer considers ‘Marginalia’ as reflecting her own journey of self-discovery and defiance against conformity. Yet, Jiayi Che creates pieces with great appeal and beauty, designs that require a dose of self-confidence from the wearer, yes.

When I was a young girl, my piano teacher and second mother was like a character out of a Tennessee Williams play. Whenever I left home — which was often — I went to her house. Not only did she play jazz and boogie woogie and drink martinis, but she had these outrageous strapless gowns and cocktail dresses. Anne spent endless hours in her closet.

Jiayi Che’s clothes remind me of this larger-than-life character of a woman. Her IG presents her as a very young woman with significant edge in her personal style. The phrase ‘prodigious talent’ comes to mind when one scrolls her IG.

New York photographer Stefy Lin [IG] adds her own unique, imprint in photographing the collection for Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam’s September 2023 issue. Models are Dayton Pangborn and Helga Hitko with perfectly-costumed hair by Tomoaki Sato and makeup by Lindsay Kastuk.

Here’s the link into the Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam story about Jiayi Che. There’s an abundance of talent in every aspect of this fashion story. ~ Anne