BIO:
An independent Chinese fashion design scholar who has high sense of visual in art and fashion industry. Hedi Cui is currently majoring Fashion Design and minoring Creative Entrepreneurship at the Parsons School of Design from the year of 2017.
Similarities and Differences:
During the foundation year of parsons, I took many hands-on classes such as Fashion Studio, Studio (Fake), Space and Materiality, Hand Knitting, and Drawing/Imaging, as well as seminar based classes such as Business and Professional Communication, Art history, English as Second Language and etc. I found many working methods and themes are similar in several courses. For instance, I have made soft structures for my studios and space class. I learned some sort of digital skills in all of the classes, and I can apply the skill and technique of one into another. The workload is intensive, however, I enjoy every projects that I made or write. Because all of the teachers encourage student to express them freely and give them enough space to perform. Through the past to the current projects, I see myself improve along the way. I am more clear about my style in terms of design. In studios and seminars, I realize the importance of both sides of the design process: the academic research and reflection and technical making process. The research part allows me to take an insight into my thesis thus redeveloping my thesis for the studio projects. I have explored many new techniques, materials, and thesis during the first year. In the process of making exciting and interesting projects in academic studios and studio making, I noticed that I have a strong interest in organic and abnormal shapes. Even though the assignment are different, but they become cohesive in certain ways.
Highlights of the Year:
Project 1: One≠1
Proposal:
For this project, I want to explore human body relation with space and nature. The clouds, molecules, the organic shapes in our surroundings communicate with our body through motions. Exchanging roles between the surrounding natural moving elements and humans, I want to make the elements motionless, but human moving. I will create an hanging static wooden installation pieces and let the views to move around them within the space. I will first make prototype with foam board to develop and experience with my ideas.
Sketch:
Making Process:
Foam Board Prototype: 
Transition into Wood:
Outcomes:
Thinking:
Molecule is a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that take part in chemical reaction which means a reactant meets a reactant will create a product, and there are ones within bigger ones.
Inspired by my observation of surroundings, I view our earth as an enormous molecule, and there are diverse individuals with in this giant group. The social animals especially humans play a main part of this unit. Because human interactions are every where; and the human relationships are chemical reactions.
These three dimensional art forms can be composed together as a group, and can also be deconstructed into different small groups just like people moving and gathering. When they gather, they become bigger and stronger unity and creates more complicated composition, just like how the human society is formed from individuals. The title of this piece is “One ≠ 1” means that there are more in one.
Project 2: Group Project-Multi Collection
Planning:
The goal of our design campaign is to address the sustainable issue of fast fashion and take action in changing the current fashion industry’s exploited use of the finite resources. We aim to achieve this via creating a collection of fashionable multi wear items which can be worn in multiple ways which not only can reduce the amount of materials needed for the making of the clothes, but also reduces the amount of human resources needed which could enhance the labor rights of the industry’s workers. This is my raw sketch: 
Outcome:
While making it, I found making curve edges and patterns are difficult for me, but I eventually figured out and finished it. I explore new techniques such as attaching button snaps with button clamp. I also learned professional way of presenting a collection including technique flats, photo editorials, and etc.
Thinking:
Since this project is a group project, it was important for me to learn how to communicate with others. This project is interesting because all of the garments in our collection has to be cohesive, and this is our first time working in four people fashion design groups.
Conclusion
In the future, I want enhance my sewing, draping, drawing, and digital skills in order pursue my career of fashion design. I would like to commit to more design of fashion functionality and fashion sustainability. How to make fashion more sustainable and functional is a big topic that I will need to explore and experience more. I want to learn machine knitting, shoe design, and jewelry design. Besides, I also want to be more involved in the business side of fashion to support my minor, Creative entrpuneur
The projects I did today could generate other projects in the future. For instance, I could do another project inspired by talking to strangers in NYC. I could also try publishing my final paper about the transparency of business partnerships in the fashion industry, writing to brands and influencers, and see it as a standard when I start my own blog or brand.
The critiques in my drawing and fashion photography classes opened my eyes and led me to my interest in the appreciation and spread of arts in different countries. I am thinking about how I can participate in the development of the aesthetic education and gallery planning in China.
I would love to continue my practice with Photoshop and Illustrator, as well as other Adobe software. I am also very excited to learn more about the business and management side of the fashion industry, in order to support my minor Creative Entrepreneurship.
