Chores ᐧ 21 Between these shores

You had always brushed off the idea of
visiting my childhood home — since it sits
between these shores
that our families call us back to, back
and forth, back and forth. I too am tethered
to these two shores that neither share the land
between their backs nor hold the same ocean
between their sights — yet when I finally
could bring you to that third shore in between,
these shores did seem closer upon return.

Poem by Shaina Yang

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With its buttons tucked inside a hidden placket, the swirling embroidery of 21 Between these shores soars unbroken across its front, from right pocket to left shoulder. By contrast, the back of the coat features a tiny cluster of only three beads — hidden in plain sight. The coat’s name is only seen by its wearer, stitched into its lining in ivory against a gentle pinstripe, and framed on three sides by a classic indigo blue- and-white pattern.

Garment measures 47" cross chest (side seam to side seam), 27.25" 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!