Chores ᐧ 20 The distance

An unwelcome guest sits between us here:
the distance
which grew and grew inside us each until
we gave birth to it one day as a sad
mangy stray that clings and hovers, begging.
Even here on this island paradise,
I can’t feel the sun on my face too damp
with disbelief at how ungrateful our
unhappiness here is; with guilt for this
beast I should treat with love but cannot bear.

Poem by Shaina Yang

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20 The distance wears its name on its sleeve, along with decorative stitches that blend in and out with the hand-embroidered letters. A cluster of beading decorates the breast pocket where an old logo or motif once was, and its distinctive long silver beads are echoed in clusters at the collar and front right pocket. On the inside, an irregular patchwork of mended indigo fabric and decorative stitching shows the lining’s meticulous construction. Look under the collar.

Garment measures 41" cross chest (side seam to side seam), 27.5" body length (high point shoulder to hem). Made from a vintage 100% cotton chore coat, cotton embroidery floss, glass beads, and lining reconstructed from antique indigo-dyed cotton fabric scraps. Please dry clean or hand wash cold with mild detergent and line dry, warm iron on reverse with a little steam.

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Chores  ᐧ  Collection 2  ᐧ  Season 1 (2023, No. 19-28)

Made in collaboration with architect and poet Shaina Yang
and patternmaker Lorraine Lum

This season contains ten embroidered vintage chore coats with reconstructed linings, patchworked from antique indigo-dyed fabric scraps.

Each coat was embroidered in tandem with a corresponding poem written from a memory of the seaside — the seaside providing a consistent backdrop across shifting eras and emotions. Together, they recollect the ways in which our surroundings can witness, support, or even force changes happening on the inside.

Collection photography by Echo Yun Chen
Modeling by Terumi Murao

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*Choose what you pay

Tier 1 - $680
Covers materials and labor for creating one piece

Tier 2 - $880
Helps sustain my practice by paying for work that happens beyond garment construction alone

Tier 3 - $1080
Contributes to the growth of my practice, allowing me to invest in tools, people, experimentation, and future projects + comes with a bonus item

Payment plans available

Please note: If any one pricing tier is marked as "sold out," the item is no longer available. This is due to a quirk in the website's inventory management system that Joy has yet to find a good solution for. Thank you for understanding!