迷妹 magazine | Hand-me-down Photo Series

•

『迷妹 magazine 』

Hand-me-down Photo Series | 代代相传

"迷妹" (Mimei) means groupie in Chinese. It reflects our strong interest (even obsession) towards different aspects of the Chinese culture. In this issue, we are focusing on the women in China and more specifically the Ayis community. Ayi (阿姨), which means aunt in Chinese, is how we call any Chinese woman of an elder generation. This is thus a very common title that describes a very particular reality. Ayis are really active, independent and powerful at the same time. Through their social position, they take the control of the family and have a very strong decisional and influential power. They are filled with wise advice that we feel like following. Their social life is intense. From square dancing, traveling with friends, to afternoon tea and daily discussions/gossips outside their home, they regroup and you’ll quickly realize that the Ayis world is small. But above all else, the way they dress reflects the unique power and freedom that they embody with poetry and taste, mixing and matching textures, colors and patterns without fear. With 迷妹 magazine, we aim to shine lights with humor and lightness on these inspiring Ayis who deserve to be known. In line with our main subject, our photo series focuses on a daily item made and worn by Ayis: the “袖套” (xiutao, over-sleeves / protection cuffs). We played around with the traditional codes of this ordinary and useful item worn daily by Ayis to protect their clothes while they work and accomplish daily tasks or to protect their skin from the sun when they ride their bike for instance. We reinvented them and created three different styles of xiutao made of: silk for its precious aspect, latex for its seduction power and fishnet stitch for its inability to protect. We wanted to lose the practical aspect of it and focus on the aesthetic to give to this piece of cloth a new meaning: being fashionable.