TIW: For those unfamiliar, “unir” means to “unite,” “knit,” or “link.” How did this concept come about? Did you already know you wanted to make knitwear, or were you inspired by this word itself?
Hua: I have always been fascinated by knitwear. Compared to woven where you use finished fabrics, knitwear allows you to develop fabrics and create patterns at the same time (and all from a single yarn!). You can do this without the process of cutting and as a result it also reduces waste! I’m very inspired by this creative and sustainable mindset. I learned knitwear design at fashion schools and have been developing professional expertise at work.
unir started from my “quarantine-knit” projects. Since I had a lot of free time during quarantine, I was able to spend my time discovering, learning, and applying interesting handcraft techniques on my knitwear projects. I shared the quarantine-knits on social media regularly, and a lot of my friends and followers asked for one! I love the process of creating knitwear and connecting with old and new friends. So I decided to start producing small batches to share with people. When people asked me what the collection was called, I was inspired when I found the word “unir” as it simply defines what I’m enjoying doing: knitting and connecting.
TIW: Your designs are “wabi-sabi,” which is originally a Japanese aesthetic that upholds the imperfections found in nature. What do you believe the beauty of imperfection is, and at what point did you come to realize its charm?
Hua: One thing that’s always fascinated me about natural dye is that you never know exactly how the result is going to come out (although most of the time you get a happy surprise!). It’s due to the random nature of natural dyes. Not everything looks exactly the same or perfect, but it’s always beautiful. I think that’s when I realized I’m into the Wabi-sabi aesthetic. Even when I’m knitting, I realized that I like designs best when everything doesn’t look uniform and regular. There is a quote by Laozi that has inspired me: “Do nothing that goes against nature”. I like lines and shapes like they are in nature: irregular and unbalanced. So I think Wabi-sabi has always been part of my personal aesthetic.
TIW: When designing your knitwear, are the flaws and imbalances premeditated, or do you let them take shape organically?
Hua: I like when flaws and imbalances take shape organically. Natural dyes are sensitive to pH, temperature, dye source, and even the water you use. Compared to industrial dyes with which create uniform colors, natural dye creates a much more Wabi-sabi color and look. Similar with hand-stitches, not every stitch or natural dye is perfect but that’s part of the beauty and I embrace it.
TIW: Everything down to your labels are handcrafted. Describe the worth of the artisan approach. How do you think a garment changes after being treated and crafted by human hands? And, oppositely, how are you yourself changed through the process?
Hua: Anything that’s handcrafted never looks uniform or industrial. There’s always a little “imperfection” due the differences in human hands each timer we do something. And each “imperfection” is always different and always excites me. I don’t think that any two art pieces should ever look the same. I think that ultra-luxury to me is human craftsmanship and the techniques that have been refined over hundreds, if not thousands, of years. However, I also don’t do everything by hand. I believe that utilizing modern machinery is part of modern craftsmanship. And finding the right balance between handcraftsmanship and modern craftsmanship is really important.
TIW: You hand dye your knitwear, using natural dyes from plants or recycled fibers. How did you learn and develop your hand dyeing techniques?
Hua: I first learned dyeing techniques through my design work both professionally and in school. But for natural dyes, I discovered it on my own and got super interested in it. I didn’t know there’s so many interesting colors and effects that natural dye can create. I ended up reading books, taking online classes, and watching YouTube videos. But, most importantly, testing it myself. A lot of the trials and errors were my most important learning experiences.
Images courtesy of unir
Images courtesy of unirTIW: As someone who consciously selects materials, how do you go about sourcing your yarns and dyes?
Hua: I source all my yarns from Italian mills. Using only sustainable/eco-conscious yarns, of course, limits my options, but I’ve been happy to see that more and more of the Italian mills all seem to have been positively affected by these eco-conscious/sustainable concepts. For dyes, I buy from two organic natural dye farms in the US.
TIW: For your AW21-22 collection, I noticed some subtle cultural tributes. Do you mind sharing a little about your cultural background and how that has influenced and inspired your work?
Hua: I was born and raised in China. I attended a 4-year fashion design program at Donghua University in Shanghai. Afterwards, I attended a 2-year fashion design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology before becoming a full-time designer in NYC. I’ve found that I draw inspiration from both my upbringing in China and my current life in NYC.
TIW: So much of your creativity seems to be informed by art and culture, beyond fashion alone. How important is it for you to expose yourself to different kinds of knowledge and educate yourself outside of your field?
Hua: When I design my knitwear collections, I imagine that I’m telling a dream-like story. To support my imagination, I expose myself to art and philosophies from different cultures and live in the concept. From there, I find yarns, stitches, silhouettes, and colors that excite me and support my vision/story. And then I use that to create a cohesive collection.
TIW: As a developing brand, what are some of the challenges you’ve faced?
Hua: What hasn’t been challenging! I have been fortunate to find good partners who share my aesthetic and ethos. I can’t imagine how difficult this would be without them.
TIW: What kind of future are you envisioning for unir? And is there anything we should look forward to?
Hua: Select pieces of my AW2021 collection will be sold at select online and NYC retailers. I look forward to sharing my SS2022 collection with you!
Editor’s Note: At The Int’l Whisperer, we do our best to maintain the original integrity of our content. Interviews are edited for clarity only. While many of our subjects are interviewed outside of their native language or use their own local variant of a particular language, we recognize this as authenticity and refrain from “standardizing” their original expressions, syntax, or spelling.