Ziyu Ma
Fashion MA
Royal College of Art
Graduates: 2024
Specialisms: Womenswear / Textiles - Knit / Fashion Technology
My location: London, United Kingdom
Ziyu Ma
First Name: Ziyu
Last Name: Ma
University / College: Royal College of Art
Course / Program: Fashion MA
Graduates: 2024
Specialisms: Womenswear / Textiles - Knit / Fashion Technology
My Location: London, United Kingdom
Website: Click To See Website
About
Ziyu Ma (Taro), from Beijing, China, is a fashion design major student who graduated from Pratt Institute in New York. After graduating from Pratt Institute in 2022, she continued her studies in fashion design for womenswear at the Royal College of Art.
She excels at using bright and bold colours, abstract prints, creative textiles, and exaggerated fashion silhouettes in her work to highlight the themes and ideas she wants to express.
Her new collection, made entirely of knitted fabric, was designed and created over the course of almost six months.
My work is inspired by the movie "Annihilation," which explores themes of "complete destruction" and "rebirth," and delves into fantasies about advanced alien life. The movie suggests that whenever something is destroyed, something else is created, exploring the origins of things and the cycle of death and rebirth. In my opinion, annihilation is not the dead silence after an explosion but a brilliant rebirth. I am fascinated by surrealism and the inspirations of science fiction themes, which is why my works are always full of fantasy and diverse colours. This project also incorporates elements from the Yangshao Banpo culture in China, which dates back about 6,000 years, and examines the striking similarities between land and marine life, exploring the origins and genetic connections of all things. Being from China, my works subtly integrate Chinese cultural elements. I hope that through my works, my audience can gain an understanding of the mysterious oriental culture, thereby promoting traditional Chinese culture and historical narratives. In the Yangshao Banpo culture, there are numerous totems combining human and fish forms. Archaeologists speculate that these patterns might be related to alien civilizations, reflecting the ancient Chinese's yearning for the infinite cycle of life and rebirth. This project delves into the themes of life's origin and continuation. "Origin and Awe: The Connection between Man and Fish" is an interdisciplinary art project. I hope that through my fashion and textile designs, my target audience can experience the effect of simulating the genetic characteristics of fish while wearing my garment, prompting reflection on the mysterious relationship between humans and fish. This project aims to deepen our understanding of origins, cultural heritage, and inheritance, and to celebrate the common human fascination with the mystery of life.
Competitions
