Chores ᐧ 27 As if but one

This castle we made together as two
I only now realise was built mostly
by your one hand not even guiding mine
so much as mitigating my clumsy
contributions — earnest but too tender —
to ensure a structure that you deemed safe.
Yet in my memory I still perceive
my hands as if I helped too; our two hearts
as if but one
willing walls up to keep the tides at bay.

Poem by Shaina Yang

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Against the backdrop of its washed navy twill, flashes of white and rust-colored stitches seep from the edges of 27 As if but one’s seams — at the pockets, at the sides, at the shoulder — all across the front. The reverse is kept plain in contrast, featuring only the coat’s name that catches the eye in the bottom-left corner. Inside, a clean pinstripe lining completes the coat’s calming composition.

Garment measures 44" cross chest (side seam to side seam), 26.75" body length (high point shoulder to hem). Made from a vintage chore coat (cotton synthetic blend), 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!