Ruitong Cui is a London-based artist working with garment-based forms, wearable technology, and knitted textiles. Her practice explores relationships between human and non-human entities, reimagining garments as more than functional clothing. Her work investigates alternative forms of connection, care, and co-existence beyond human-centered narratives.
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- Breathing Companion
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Manifesto
- Previous works
- Performance
- Writing
- Wearable Objects Design
Manifesto
2024
Textile-based artwork — fabric book as narrative research object
Mixed textiles, found fabrics, and experimental materials
Dimensions: Variable / book format
Keywords:
Textile storytelling, Narrative design, Research-led practice, Decolonization
This project takes the history of Chinese fashion as its starting point. Through in-depth research into the evolution of Eastern fashion during its process of Westernization, it reveals the profound impact of colonization on traditional culture, resulting in the gradual replacement of Eastern aesthetics by Western-dominated standards.
This discovery prompted me to embrace the concept of slow fashion and to further explore "anti-trend" design, aiming to critique the trend systems dominated by major brands and the overconsumption they perpetuate, while challenging the Eurocentrism prevalent in global fashion.
After analyzing the effects of the global fashion landscape on local cultures, my research shifted focus to the traditional Chinese philosophy of the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water). I explored their connection with the Five Colors system and their inherent harmony with nature, seasons, emotions, and directions.
By comparing Eastern and Western cultural philosophies, I realized that fashion should not be confined to a Eurocentric perspective. Instead, the unique values and characteristics of diverse cultures should be equally celebrated. Drawing inspiration from the Five Elements and Five Colors, I created a trend book that integrates connections to nature and spirituality, the principles of slow fashion, and cultural identity. This trend book aims to encourage people to reconsider the relationship between tradition and modernity and to discover a new balance between fashion design and cultural heritage.