Dasia Yoo is an interdisciplinary artist and fashion designer. Her experiences shaped her current work, which focuses on themes of mental health and her Black-Korean cultural identity, emphasizing materiality and sustainability. She adapts her emotions and thoughts into physical wearable objects, aiming to feel a sense of relief or build contextualization. Additionally, she uses fashion design and production to engage with other art mediums such as photography, printmaking, drawing, painting, metalwork, fibers, and more.
Moodboard
Look 1
Look 2
Look 2 Photoshoot, Model: Bella (One Management), Photo: James Prinz
Look 3
Look 4
Look 5
FW23 Samples, Jacket & Silk Screen Printing sample. Knitwear dress sample.
Fabric Treatments, Silk Screen Printing. Natural Dye using an airbrush.
To incorporate aspects of painting and drawing, I screen-printed my own drawing inspired by the blue and white porcelain vases seen in East Asian history. The airbrushing natural dye process compares to painting on a large canvas. It helps achieve a smooth dye gradient with much more control than a dye bath. The dye consisted of a mix of natural indigo dye and watercolor paint.
Metalworking, Steel hoop skirt.
Using cold-rolled steel rods, I meticulously crafted a metal hoop skirt through a series of steps including trimming, bending, welding, and painting. The juxtaposition of the soft delicacy of the knitwear and the rigid metal represents a profound balance between brokenness and healing, a theme central to my artistic vision.
All things broken can be repaired.
This work is inspired by Kintsugi and its philosophies. It embodies the beauty of human flaws, trauma, healing, and resilience.
Kintsugi 金継ぎ, also known as “golden joinery,” is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with urushi lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Kintsugi embraces imperfection, transforming brokenness into beauty by mending.
Healing trauma is a never-ending cycle, but is necessary for the growth and development of oneself. It is vital to remember how we arrived at the present but to avoid getting stuck in the past. Throughout the production of this collection, I stumbled upon numerous obstacles and worked through several things that needed to be corrected. However, instead of restarting or giving up, I developed new ways of thinking and making. I did many things for the first time, such as machine knitting, metalworking, screen printing, and embroidery. The process was complex and disruptive but natural and organic. I aimed to convey this contrast with the materials and surface treatments.
I learned that it is essential to take pride in the imperfect.