From 2012 to 2016, Zuoyu Shi attended the BFA Fashion Design program at Parsons the New School of Design in New York, specialize in women’s ready to wear. In the summer of 2015, Zuoyu encountered works of 3D and 4D printing, interactive coding and biodegradable materials which are all innovative ways to make sustainable design. Zuoyu’s fascination has led her to learn basic coding and 3D model making. Zuoyu’s graduation thesis collection is a 6 looks presentation of 6 different categories of avoidable food waste, with clothes patterns and surface design generated with data visualization coding program with specific waste data statistics. Zuoyu believes that a fashion designer is responsible for the environmental impact created in the design process. Her creative process is evolving into a more sustainable approach to garment making in both the choices of natural fiber materials and reduce waste in pattern cutting.

The 6 looks capsule collection is a presentation of 6 different kinds of food waste: lettuce, sweetcorn, tomato, carrot, cauliflower and onion. Using household waste statistics of categories of food waste, number sets are put into data visualization codes to generate image output. These image output is later made into prints with combination of specific food waste photos. Patterns come from lines in the image output and were printed on plotter machines to cut printed fabric.

“In the summer of 2015, I came across an exhibit at the MOMA called, This is forEveryone. It is a design exhibit focuses on different methods to sustainable design: bioengineering materials to replace white foam, 3D printing to eliminate excess material and labor, and public accessible coding, anyone does not need to be an engineer to be able to use simple codes in their living surroundings. My fascination has led me to learn 3D modeling and data visualization coding. My learning experience with data visualization coding was an experimentation of drawing with code, using numbers on X and Y axis in a picture frame. At the same time, I came across a project called Biolace, it is a bio-engineered plant that grows fruit and has root structured to grow into lace form, it is a projection of how to tackle with issues of food and fabric in the future in 2050. In spired by the project, I wanted to draw my own lace using data visualization codes.” by Zuoyu Shi

Photographer: Xiaoyang Jin

Designer: Zuoyu Shi

Model: Ya Jagne (Fenton Model Agency)

Make up & Hair: Tatyana L. Harkoff

Production Assistant: Daqi Fang & Qingshan Wang