In “Collection 0”, Korean American designer Mina Piao treats clothing as visual reminders, garments that function like a note-to-self. This capsule collection moves beyond aesthetics, transforming familiar knitwear into objects of connection, reflection, and modular intent.
Familiar sweater silhouettes are used to evoke the human form, symbolizing community, connection, and the natural world. Ten different garments connect to form a single look or separate into multiple pieces that can be shared across individuals, functioning collectively. Fully fashioned knit pants unbutton to become a hood, two sweaters link to become a cardigan, and layered knits transform into capes and skirts. Each knit piece can be worn separately as an individual garment or worn as one.
Made from natural fibers such as wool, silk, viscose, and cotton, the textures were achieved through a combination of flat-bed knitting, hand knitting, and crochet. Naturally dyed with walnut hulls and indigo, the colors and surfaces suggest both decay and resilience, referencing the erosion of community and the natural world through neglect, while also evoking the movement and life of water. All knit pieces are fully fashioned to minimize textile waste.
The woven garments, a jacket, skirt, and pants, draw from Lee Bul’s cyborg series, AI-generated humanoid images, and biblical stories such as King Nebuchadnezzar and the Tower of Babel. Combined with the knits, they tell a story of transformation that occurs when humanity is neglected in pursuit of advancement.
Made from cotton deadstock and naturally dyed with oak galls and iron, the woven pieces are finished with handmade buttons made from fabric waste, along with vintage metal buttons that recall the look of metal hardware on cyborgs. Lace-up closures replace zippers as a more sustainable option. Removable shields, exposed seams, adjustable ways of wearing, and pintucks explore ideas of self-augmentation and self-protection, constructing silhouettes that feel cold, fragmented, and overly engineered.
ABOUT Mina Piao
Mina Piao is a Korean American designer based in New York. After working as a blockchain consultant, she pivoted to fashion and developed foundational skills at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Central Saint Martins and an internship with Melitta Baumeister. Her practice is rooted in storytelling and responsibility, creating thoughtful garments that seek to affirm the creativity, beauty and inherent worth of others and the natural world, while challenging narratives of commodification and disposability.
Materially, this manifests through a focus on natural fibers, biodegradable textiles, natural dyes, vintage and deadstock materials, and zero waste techniques. Each collection is part of an ongoing study in concept driven patternmaking, textile experimentation and craftsmanship.
Photography: Andrew Morales @andmorale
HMUA: Frankie Byrd @byrdartistry
Nails: Maraschino @maraschino.beautyparlor
Model: Carissa @carissa_skpp of State Mgmt @statemgmt
Photoshoot Assist: Sarah O. @sarahohwow, Hye @hye.na.ll
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COLLECTION
