Such procedures don't lend themselves to mass production, but Hong insists there are alternatives to manufacturing that protect the environment and workers rights and maintain a firm commitment to style.
"My unwavering use of non-toxic and non-polluting materials and dyes has nothing to do with some hippy-dippy idea of what is natural. The flower-child style is a refusal of style. What I love and what I strive for is a stylish effect, indeed," she said.
A painter and sculptor, as well as a clothing, shoe and jewelry designer, Hong is as much an artist as she is a fashion designer. She began her fashion studies at Shihchien University in Taiwan after which she moved to New York City, where she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology. Later she worked in couture workshops for Chanel in Paris, before returning to Taipei in 1984 to open her own studio.
Hong's boutique fuses fashion with art and is nothing like the florescent-lit, tacky techno music clothing stores plaguing the city. Located off a major commercial street in downtown Taipei, the large plate-glass windows, heavy iron casements and artwork that decorate her studio illustrate Hong's philosophy of creating, living and working in an art-inspired environment. "Clothing is simply another form of art ?. I design clothes the way I paint on a canvas or make a sculpture. I like to draw inspiration from everything around me."
She treats each design as if it were a painting, blending different colors, fabrics and patterns to create texture. Roughly 200 pieces are prepared for each fashion season (spring/summer and fall/winter), at which time the buyers place their orders and, with the help of 20 or more workers, production begins. From manufacturing the fabric to adding the hand-trim finishes, all pieces begin and end with Hong. It is her personal touch to each piece that gives it personality and makes it special to the designer and wearer.
Influenced by, but not restricted to, traditional Chinese designs, Hong creates styles for men and women that flatter all body shapes and are as comfortable as they are elegant. She mixes fabrics and prints to create textured jackets, dresses, tops and vests that are ready-to-wear anywhere, at anytime and by anyone.
Her clothing is available in boutiques around the world and is worn by celebrities, models, artists and writers -- those with a refined sense of style. Her prices reflect the work involved, but are not exorbitant, ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$30,000 for an entire outfit. Building a Hong-made wardrobe is a good investment, considering the classic-yet-chic designs do not seem to have a must-wear-before expiration date.
Similarly, the eco-friendly manufacturing and fair treatment of employees make discount and competitive pricing near impossible, and perhaps it is time for the price of merchandise to reflect its real cost to the environment. With the loss of renewable resources in Taiwan and the rest of the world, Hong agrees that individual consumers and big businesses will need to make sacrifices.
Sophie Hong's Taipei studio is located at 4, Lane 228, Xinyi Rd, Sec 2 (
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