Justine’s Couture Hanfu, Featured in Vogue
“From the very start of the planning process, Justine knew that she wanted to wear a hanfu (漢服) for the Han Diaspora Ceremony (more commonly referred to as the Tea Ceremony). ‘I fully entrusted Suzanne Hanley from Atelier des Modistes to breathe life into my vision,’ she says. ‘For months, she offered advice and expertise in selecting and sourcing the fabrics and provided several rounds of feedback on my sketches for the embroidery.’ Hanley also paid keen attention to the shape and volume of the sleeves, mocking the robe in muslin so they could make adjustments along the way.”
“Justine’s hanfu featured whimsical embroidered scenes such as a phoenix with eight snakes for tails, chimeric Chinese zodiac animals, and a sunny side up UFO abducting a maneki-neko. The garment was constructed with Swiss beading mesh, a sheer silk gazar from Italy to give light structure and keep the hanfu’s traditional shape, and antique French jacquard trim featuring cherry blossoms, peonies, chrysanthemums, butterflies, and tiny silver diamonds that mimic snakeskin—a nod to the bride’s Zodiac animal. ‘The end product was something so unique and personal,’ Justine says. ‘It’s an interactive family heirloom that can be added to as it passes from generation to generation, yet will always remind the wearer of our Chinese diasporic roots.’ “
A note from the Designer, Suzanne Hanley, on the process of creating this custom garment for Justine:
“Making this heirloom custom Hanfu for Justine has been a pure delight! I loved that she wanted something truly reflecting her personal style, experiences and heritage. The artwork she created is so wonderfully whimsical, showcasing her talent as an artist. The Hanfu’s custom embroidery is made on a Swiss beading mesh to create the light, ethereal effect that Justine had hoped for and backed with a sheer silk gazar from Italy to give light support and structure to keep the traditional shape of the Hanfu.”
“I struggled to find the perfect trim to finish the edges of the Hanfu and looked at many variations of color and weave of plain silk, none seemed quite right. Looking through my personal stash of antique French ribbons, I found just the right one to compliment this very special design for Justine.The colors all complimented the embroidery and added a nice accent on the shoulders and weight to the edges and hem. The motifs of the jacquard ribbon blended well into the design: cherry blossoms, peonies, Chrysanthemums, butterflies and the tiny silver diamonds that mimic snakeskin. It seemed very Justine, and is a personal favorite of mine! The high waisted skirt (with pockets) is made in a slightly iridescent burgundy silk, backed in a double sided silk Peau de Soie from Italy. The final touches include some hand appliqué of the embroidered motifs and making some subtle 3-d elements, giving the embroidery a bit more dimension.”
Justine Jen-Jen Li, “… posing in (her) traditional Chinese garments, in front of Torii (1983), a large site-specific sculpture by American artist Bruce Johnson.”
All Photos by Abigail Lewis