Revolutionary Fashion: Yi Yin's "Blue Ants"

Reimagining Cultural Revolution Uniforms into Sustainable, Fashionable Art

The "Blue Ants" project draws its name and inspiration from the Cultural Revolution era in China, where people of all ages and genders wore uniform blue overalls, earning them the nickname "blue ants" in other countries. During this time, clothing became more than just a means of keeping warm; it transformed into a political tool of fanaticism and blind obedience. Yi Yin's project aims to break these stereotypes and connect the unique political function of clothing with modern fashion sensibilities.

The project stands out for its innovative use of materials and techniques. All the dark blue fabrics used in the project come from old blue overalls from the Cultural Revolution era. The designer also incorporated food stamps exclusive to that period into the design, finding the patterns and curves on them beautiful and attractive. The laser-cut fabric creates a two-dimensional and three-dimensional transformation effect that follows the body's undulations and curves.

Yi Yin replaced traditional printing machines with sunlight to produce unique printing and dyeing effects through cyanotype photography. This technique not only restores the sense of time during the Cultural Revolution but also aligns with the project's sustainability concept. The project's designs disrupt the Cultural Revolution's uniformity by twisting and binding the classic silhouette of blue overalls.

The project began in January 2022 in Jinan, China, and concluded in November 2022. It integrated the printing methods of visual communication design, cyanotype photography, and other techniques to complete the fabrics. The designer also used a projector to assist in the silhouette design. One of the significant challenges was finding a suitable fabric for laser cutting, as some fabrics were too soft to reveal the cut graphics, while others were too hard to make clothes.

"Blue Ants" was awarded the Golden A' Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design Award in 2023, a prestigious accolade granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. These creations advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.