statement of intent
RÈN ‘韧’ is CHUN’s 2026 capsule collection, created in response to the ongoing misrepresentation of elegance and femininity in both fashion and society. Elegance is often portrayed as delicate, ornamental, and passive—overlooking the strength, control, and emotional resilience that often lie beneath graceful appearances. This narrow definition reduces femininity to fragility, leaving little space for complexity or power.
As one formally trained in Chinese cultural dance, I’ve come to see elegance as a form of force that is deeply resilient. Among the many cultural dances I’ve practiced, Dai ethnic dance, and particularly the Peacock Dance which resonates most with me, embodies this contrast with striking beauty. Its movements may appear soft and fluid, but they are rooted in strength, discipline, and precise control. That tension stayed with me and led me to question: why strength and softness are so often seen as opposites—especially in how femininity is represented.
Through RÈN, I aim to redefine elegance as a quiet, grounded strength. The Chinese character “韧,” meaning resilient toughness, the collection expresses power that does not shout, but endures—flexible and strong. Instead of using literal cultural motifs, I choose to achieve the motifs through autoethography of myself dancing, and dancing various Chinese cultural dance with Chinese ink on canvas, capturing the energy of motion and transforming them digitally. These motifs were then translated into textiles through beading, devoré, digital print, and metallic foiling—each technique echoing the rhythm of dance through surface and form. Balancing relaxed tailoring with delicately manipulated fabrics and textiles, the collection merges softness and strength, control and fluidity. A refined monochrome palette—black, white, grey, blue, and silver—grounds the collection in quiet confidence, allowing emotion and identity to come forward in subtle, powerful ways.
While RÈN is a deeply personal exploration, it speaks to a wider issue: the need to expand how fashion defines femininity. This collection invites wearers to feel both strong and beautiful, to move with intention, and to embrace elegance not as a fragile ideal, but as a reflection of inner resilience.