Iris in Quiet White

Concept

This is a gown I designed and made for my close friend Jingjing, who wore it to her wedding.

The iris takes its name from Iris, the rainbow goddess of Greek myth, who carried messages between heaven and earth. In the language of flowers, it stands for faith and hope, and it is the bearer of good news. I have always felt that Jingjing is like an iris: quiet, yet sure of her direction; gentle, yet never without strength. She never seeks attention, but simply standing there, she makes everyone around her feel at ease.

So I began with white silk jacquard, for her clarity and calm, and let shadows of blue-violet petals rise slowly from the silk. Lunéville embroidery, three-dimensional beadwork and traditional Chinese embroidery are built up layer by layer, until the petals lift from the surface and take on depth and breath under the light. Over six months, every stitch became something I wanted to say to her.

The Chinese title carries the character 静 (jìng), which is her name and means "quiet". Quiet is also what the dress was always meant to be. More than a gown, it is a wish for her: that in all the days ahead, she will keep blooming like an iris, quietly and steadily.