Leo Hsiung
Fashion Product
Drawing from personal, shared stories and experiences, VOYAGERS: TALES FROM THE LAND AND SEA expresses my life as a third culture kid and observations of the surrounding world. I implement my practice of merging graphic design, fashion, and writing to search through fragments of cultural heritage, environmental, familial relationships, and our global existence. My story discovers the world of the in-between.
Inspired by my father’s ambition to sail the world, the collection features assemblages of headwear, bags, and uniforms that prepare an individual to embark uncharted worlds. VOYAGERS dives head first into the unknown and unravels the mysteries that lie beyond the horizons. This collection serves as a testament of gratitude for those embarking with us on this adventure that seeks for home and purpose. The voyager is pushed and pulled between worlds of reality and abstraction seeking potential and wonder in the everyday.









THE GLOBAL VOYAGER
The global nomad (coined by Norma McCaig 1984) is defined as “those children who spend a significant part of their developmental years in another culture”. This experience detaches from the traditional notions of home and identity. Often being questioned with “where are you from?” and “where is home?” these individuals are challenged to grapple with the complexities of their own sense of belonging. Their perception of the world and self-concept challenges the idea that home and identity are inherently linked and are manifested through culture, language, values, and environment.
Adaptation is a pivotal role to establish a foundational structure for the global nomad’s identity. They become global voyagers with the knowledge that home can be everywhere and nowhere. As one identity is held by their parents, they also cultivate a separate identity. Their existence is intertwined to a reality that has been fragmented and abstract in which their voyage begins to explore new environments and re-define the meaning of home.






Each piece is uniquely characterised with structural concepts of various naval vessels such as: sailboats, canoes, warships, and junk ships. Uniting through shapes and colours, the series of products prepares a team to embark on a new voyage.


PRINT DEVELOPMENT
Rooted in a global perspective, pictographs have been used as a universal way of communication in varying cultures. The visual identity of VOYAGERS borrows elements of the Pacific Northwest, military prints, and origins of the Chinese language. By combining Eastern and Western visual ideologies such as oracle bone script, CADPAT (Canadian Disruptive pattern), MARPAT (marine pattern), and dazzle camouflage, the process intersects traditional and contemporary artistic practices. Using both physical and digital methods, the prints explore contrasting themes of assimilation and disruption to the voyager’s environment.
















Bio
Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C, Canada, Leonard Hsiung is a New York based multidisciplinary designer using graphic design, fashion and writing to explore the merge of culture, identity, form and function. Drawing upon facets of the natural world, his work emanates a sense of child-like wonder, playfulness, and curiosity to his surrounding environment. Leo’s exploration of color and pattern has allowed him to co-create the worlds and stories he tells.