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Daydream Nation: Fashion is an extension of theater
Dynamic siblings Kay and Jing Wong tell stories with their whimsical fashion designs
Kay and Jing Wang. 'Our big dream is to have this huge Daydream Nation building,' says Kay.When textile artist Kay Wong and her set designer/performer/musician brother Jing decided to combine their talents, they came up with Daydream Nation, a fashion label that is about a whole lot more than clothes.
Like a good stage show, Kay and Jing's garments and accessories are imbued with a strong sense of narrative that often stems from the personal -- one of their collections was touchingly based on a letter the siblings wrote to their late father. The label now has a cult following of trend-setting DJs and musicians and the fan base is expanding beyond Hong Kong -- even Juliette Binoche was spotted wearing Daydream Nation.
This year, Jing signed to People Mountain People Sea, an independent music label run by the iconic Anthony Wong Yiu-ming. We spoke to the Wong siblings about the inspiration behind Daydream Nation and the challenges of being creative in Hong Kong.
But I ended up coming back to Hong Kong and working for this horrible High Street denim line. I won't mention the name. They told me they wanted a new, young designer to help them rejuvenate the line, but it turned out they didn't actually want to change anything. I spent four months there. I would start every day by clicking onto WGSM, the trends website, and constantly trying to copy what was trendy. Eventually I decided to leave the job and continue with my brand.
Kay:When I was in Hong Kong in school, I once failed in art. I found out the reason I failed was because I had done a blue monotone drawing when it was supposed to be a black-and-white drawing.
Like a good stage show, Kay and Jing's garments and accessories are imbued with a strong sense of narrative that often stems from the personal -- one of their collections was touchingly based on a letter the siblings wrote to their late father. The label now has a cult following of trend-setting DJs and musicians and the fan base is expanding beyond Hong Kong -- even Juliette Binoche was spotted wearing Daydream Nation.
This year, Jing signed to People Mountain People Sea, an independent music label run by the iconic Anthony Wong Yiu-ming. We spoke to the Wong siblings about the inspiration behind Daydream Nation and the challenges of being creative in Hong Kong.
CNNGo: Tell us your story from the beginning.
Kay Wong:
After graduating, I did a collection and this Japanese agent hooked me up with this big Japanese store. We met in a coffee shop in London. I opened up my suitcase [to show my collection] and the guy said, 'Oh, yes, yes, yes,' and bought the whole collection. I thought, 'Oh, this actually works,' and that's how it started.
But I ended up coming back to Hong Kong and working for this horrible High Street denim line. I won't mention the name. They told me they wanted a new, young designer to help them rejuvenate the line, but it turned out they didn't actually want to change anything. I spent four months there. I would start every day by clicking onto WGSM, the trends website, and constantly trying to copy what was trendy. Eventually I decided to leave the job and continue with my brand.
Clothes are the objects with the most human expression. It's so intimate. — Jing Wong
CNNGo: So what is the concept behind your brand?
Jing Wong:
I consider it an extension of my research into visual theatre. As a result of set design, I learned to view objects quite differently, as extensions of human beings. For example, objects on stage need to be part of the performance. When Kay asked me to join her in making fashion, I realized that clothes are the objects with the most human expression. It's so intimate.Kay:
I felt that what I was doing lacked some kind of story. I was doing fashion for fashion's sake. So I thought it would be interesting if we could do something where fashion meets theatre; fashion meets story.
Jing:
When it's fashion storytelling, there's lots of possibilities; lots of ways to interpret things. Daydream Nation doesn't really have any boundaries. It doesn't necessarily start with a clear story but it ends up with one. For instance, one day my bedsheets were torn and there was a hole in them. I was going to throw them away. But before I chucked them I put the sheet around my head and looked at myself in the mirror. It made all of these weird shapes, so I took some photos of that and immediately sent them to Kay. From that we started [our collection] 'Good Morning, I'm Sleeping,' which is about a girl who wants to continue dreaming and is unwilling to wake up.
CNNGo:
You both have strong connections to London, but you've decided to work in Hong Kong. Why? 
The collection titled "A Letter to Paul" was inspired by the siblings' relationship with their late father, Paul, seen as a drawing on this dress.
Kay:
It's home. But it's a dilemma. It is also a mission. Jing:
There's no point in having a Daydream Nation London. They don't need a Daydream Nation. Hong Kong is so dry and so stifling. We studied here, we were brought up here and we know how the system sucks.Kay:
Jing:
The Royal College of Art later accepted her. It just goes to show how stupid the Hong Kong system is. Kay:
It's the same with [Jing's] singing in the street. There's so many restrictions, the city is completely over-managed.Jing:
That's why I need to busk on the street. It's my hobby but it's also part of the mission of Daydream Nation to challenge rules that shouldn't be there.
I've been back for two and a half years. A few months after I got back I felt so bored by the city that I had a strong urge to do something. I mainly busked in three spots: in Mongkok, Sai Yeung Choi Street; in Causeway Bay behind Sogo; and I used to go to Tsim Sha Tsui, beside the Star Ferry. But I felt that the audience there was not the audience I wanted to speak to, because there are more tourists in TST and they're used to this kind of stuff. But I felt I should go to where most local Hong Kong kids are. CNNGo: The metaphor of dreams comes up a lot in your work. What's your dream?
Kay:
Our big dream is to have this huge Daydream Nation building. On the top level would be our studio with classrooms teaching people how to handmake jewellery. There would be exhibition spaces for local artists; we'd collaborate with them. Jing:
Also a live music café and maybe a small experimental theatre.
Editor's note:
Daydream Nation's online shop and blog posts can be found on their website www.daydream-nation.com
