I had the incrediBULL opportunity to design this LNY letterman for Benny to wear for the Bulls’ annual LNY game!

The sleeves feature all 12 zodiac animals, and Benny’s name is embroidered in Chinese on the front: 奔奔牛 (Bēn Bēn Niú). On the back, the character 福 (fú), symbolizing good fortune, is hand-stitched using upcycled chains. Hanging 福 upside down is a New Year tradition. It plays on a word pun: “upside down” (倒, dào) sounds like “to arrive” (到, dào), symbolizing that “good fortune has arrived” (福倒了, fú dào le). It’s believed to invite blessings and prosperity into the home.

I chose a letterman jacket as the base because of its association with sports. The main body is made from Italian wool and off-white canvas sleeves (as white is traditionally associated with mourning in some cultures). It’s accented with red and white ribknit trim and lined with red poly fabric.

• Red and gold are symbols of good fortune, wealth, and prosperity.
• The dragon appliqués represent this year’s zodiac sign, while the gold spiraling detail is an additional subtle nod to the dragon’s form.
• This final design came to me as I was scanning the Luvabulls Instagram for inspiration. I wanted to create something that matched the energy and power the team radiates.
• I also wanted the QiPaos to look like they belonged on the dance floor and were not just some cultural element cut and pasted into the scenery.

Art Directed by: Nicole Farnsley

Models: Arthanya Boonpukdee, Mindy Michelle, Mia Hitterman, Daniel Peng, and Jireh Louie

Photography: Kate Feldt, Nicole Farnsley, and Yick Lam

• For the past two years I have had the privilege of bringing Duolingo's Creator Day shoes to life.
• All the '22 and '23 shoes were painstakingly hand-painted by me and then shipped off to Pittsburgh, PA.
• Creator Day was a day to mark the first Duo video that blew up on TikTok, to celebrate creators and their hard work, inspire genuine content, and have fun!

• While at Miss Spa we launched about 15 new products including the trendy ice globes on the left, the No-Slip line and more Sculpt products.
• At Poler we developed multiple seasons with nearly 100 new products per season. Notable collaborations I worked on were with the Portland Trail Blazers and the NHL

Radiance Gala: A Celebration of Asian & Pacific Islander Women and Non-Binary Achievement in Entertainment. Event hosted by
CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment).

Custom, handmade QiPao

QiPao was made from gold and silver brocade with a gold polyester lining.

Custom QiPao for a tea ceremony- a traditional part of Chinese weddings to honor family.

Outfit: My wedding gown made from 6 yards of polyester taffeta. Features not seen: dress is backless + has pockets.

Model: Jinny Kang

Photographer: John Ng

Outfit: Emerald evening gown with a full circle skirt + mandarin collar.

Model: Anelya Niyazbekova

Photographer: John Ng

Outfit: Found fabric turned into a halter dress with a half circle skirt.

Model: Victoria Li

Photographer: John Ng

Outfit: Pink sequin QiPao with lace up hips + gold applique phoenix.

Model: Celina Xu

Photographer: Arnel Gonzales

Outfit: Modern QiPao with lace up sides + pleated skirt. Fabric sourced from South Korea.

Model: Mindy Michelle

Photographer: Arnel Gonzales

Outfit: Vintage screen-printed cotton corset top + separate pleated skirt.

Model: Zhenni Ma

Photographer: Arnel Gonzales

Left: Victoria Li

Right: Me :)

Photographer: David Sabat

Here's where I get to be a kid again! Since moving to Chicago, I have attended every Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2). I have immense respect and admiration for all the other costume-makers I meet at these conventions.