A Sense of Estrangement: About YP Gender Fluidity, Sexuality & Fashion

Finding one’s individuality in a new world and expressing how to feel about it makes for the challenge of a lifetime. How does this search for the New Made In China identity manifest itself across fashion, photography and other art forms? For Temper Magazine’s brand spankin’ new China’s New Youth series, we kick-start this shindig where all identification begins: The “Sense of Estrangement”.

Tom Selmon EXCLUSIVE@Temper Magazine, 2019. All rights reserved

Imagine. The stage is yours for the taking. The spotlight? On you. Change? Inevitable. Identity? Questionable.

One of the world’s biggest and most targeted demographics, China’s Young Professionals (YP — in turn also short for Youth Power) are idolized by international brands, companies and media across the globe. During the perusals of Chinese-focused media honing in on this emerging generation, one question pops up on the daily…

What is it like to have all eyes focused in on your most vulnerable stage of life?

Defining Dramatic Displays

Every other article that passes through the fingers, despite a personal niche amorous relationship with Chinese fashion and beauty, is in regards to emerging Chinese designers, artists, architects, musicians and photographers. Every image after the next is a colorful, dramatic and glossy display of the top emerging Chinese aficionados we must all take note of — now.

Through the lens of music, fashion, art, photography and gender — really any creative and malleable space you can imagine — changes are happening and these vessels are helping to express the growth, evolution and feelings of estrangement in Chinese YP.

Define estrangement? The feeling that they do not belong or are alone.

Chinese youth is essentially experiencing a metaphorical puberty, but instead of evolving privately, they are soaked beneath the hot breath of spotlight.

China’s restrictions on free speech and public expression has erected steadfast obstacles for the creative industry and individuals attempting to break free, to give China a new name.

The YP are in search of a voice, seeking an opportunity where they can identify with both their Chinese and international identities and, most importantly, with their self-identities.

A Tom Selmon x Temper Magazine Exclusive, 2019. All rights reserved

When Metaphorical Puberty Hits

As a community in the first stages of a new millennium, we are obsessed with the freedom of expression, the use of technology, entrepreneurs, fluidity in discourse and identity, creativity, and innovation. With the timing of China’s emergence as a powerful force in business, trade, and culture, the world has made China a part of its mission statement for many years to come. Fortunately and unfortunately, the rising generation, who is so diligently attempting and succeeding, slowly but surely, at consuming the market with their new found artistic contributions, may find insurmountable success; but they may also bear a heavy burden from the globe’s watchful eye and find delayed success due to untouchable expectations and unfair criticisms.

Daring to be crude, take a minute to imagine how it felt to go through puberty. It’s not a moment you exactly wished to share with your friends and classmates, parents and teachers. It’s something you hoped would happen but would fly under the radar until fully “blossomed,” for lack of a better word.

One of the best and more “grassroots” ways of executing China’s new social desires is the culture of streetwear. Genderless, go with the flow, dual identities. Inclusively exclusive.

Chinese youth is essentially experiencing a metaphorical puberty, but instead of evolving privately, their every moment of achievement and loss is dually and publically noted.

They are truly the guinea pig creatives, the first line of offense for China against the world team. They are first to show the country from an alternative angle, and to change people’s perceptions on what it means to be “Made In.” So whilst taking chances, learning about themselves as individuals, and figuring out life for possibly the very first time in their lives, they are simultaneously being evaluated.

A Tom Selmon x Temper Magazine Exclusive, 2018. All rights reserved

Dynamic Fashion As An Artistic YP Medium

Up until three decades ago, China was a closed country. International travel? Limited. Foreign education? Restricted. Only in the 1980s did these things start to become more easily accessible and tolerated. Today, it seems crazy to think that the Asian community was, up until recently, very sparse in Europe and the U.S. So with new privilege comes new responsibility…and a learning curve. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right? (Disclaimer: Super cheesy, at Temper we #heart it.) Who gets it right on the first try anyway?

This dynamic shift in desired interaction, inspiration, thirst for travel and knowledge, envy for self-expression, and definition of self, is currently in a fluid state because these things have yet to be fine-tuned. The YP community of China is still maturing, figuring it out, learning about who they are and how they fit in and shine on the world stage. Shine bright like a diamond.

One of the best and more “grass root” ways of executing such is the culture of streetwear. Many streetwear brands have emerged from within China. There are still many misconceptions about the Chinese streetwear culture. Take a look at GRAF&WU. GRAF stands for Generation Represent Artistic Fashion, a reflection of the brand’s ethos aspiring for a generation of people to use fashion as an artistic medium.

Streetwear As A Grassroots Operator

Interestingly enough, fashion has become an integral part of personal expression in China, because the current obstacles with freedom of expression have pushed people to discover new ways of communicating responses to social issues.

“Speaking through illustrations,” as the designer of GRAF&WU puts it, “is a much more integrative and effective way to communicate her opinions and feelings than through a media outlet or publication.”

She streams her inspiration from the lyrics rap music and cultural influences, whether they be from the 80’s or current events. Streetwear is always the best way to see true culture and how it manifests at the very grassroots levels.

Now living in an environment that allows defining oneself as one or the either or both, the question of sexual and gender orientation comes to mind as the YP continue to integrate and assimilate into Western society. This sort of identification or reassignment is prohibited in most parts of China and therefore is all a part of finding and establishing oneself in a new community; even a new body and state of mind.

The Sense of Estrangement is a lonely one at that. It’s swimming against the current. It’s pushing a conversation that erodes stereotypes. It’s defining oneself in a place where definitions are blurry. It’s a sense of solitude that will only shatter when the other elements of sense shatter its very foundation. It’s being on the prowl for oneself.

Photographer Tom Selmon shot the featured images exclusively for Temper Magazine. A few Selmon words regarding his Beijing-based Temper shoot:

“I came to this project because in my work I always like to show the element of the documentary and I wanted to show inside an everyday Chinese household through fashion imagery. The model I worked with has great style so I thought she would be the perfect subject to showcase these designers in her home.

As the theme is China’s New Youth/ adolescence/ millennial puberty, I felt the location of a home would be fit well because there are so many things in this environment that bring you back to that time period. The model (22 at the time of these snaps; the perfect age) is past this time period, however, I thought it would be beautiful to contrast her social strength today in the gentle and safe environment where she lives with her mother.”

Originally written by Jessica Laiter of Chinese Graffiti for Temper Magazine: The Sensational Issue

Edited by Elsbeth van Paridon for Temper Magazine: The China’s New Youth Series

Spotted a fashion fail or have something to add? Feel free to throw a mini tantrum in the comment section below or email us at info@temper-magazine.com

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Jessica Laiter

China Fashion Blogger at Chinese Graffiti

Jessica Laiter has been an avid lover and admirer of the Chinese language and culture for most of her life. Always knowing that the future would include working on an international level, when it came to choosing a niche, China immediately came to mind.

Laiter went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Chinese Studies and Communications Rhetoric at The University of Pittsburgh and a Master's Degree in Translation at NYU. Immediately after college, she moved to New York City and since then has worked in a number of different industries such as branding, manufacturing, fashion, public relations and real estate. China always acting as the common denominator.

Inspired by her career, Laiter launched a website called Chinese Graffiti, on which she features emerging Chinese designers, talks about the intersection of tradition and modernity in China, as well as the evolution of society and business culture. As time went on, she sought out like-minded businesses individuals who were interested in a similar market, which is how she became involved with Temper.

The China market is creating a whirlwind around the glob and it’s only just getting started.

The world can be a small place with a dash of mutual understanding and Laiter loves to be the storyteller who helps to bridge that gap.

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