Graedance is the Melbourne demi-fine jewellery label making “vessels for future memories”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALBERTO ZIMMERMANN
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“We focus a lot on the creation of pieces that evolve with your changing body and mood.”
Unlike a lot of the local labels we profile here on Fashion Journal, the founder of Graedance, Rong Chen, started his demi-fine jewellery label after years in the industry. Before launching Graedance in September of 2022, Rong had founded a womenswear line (where he was commissioned to design T-shirts for Uniqlo), been the co-creative director of a menswear brand and started a community-based project arm called H-ours.
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“I brought a few of my personal insights into the creation of Graedance,” Rong says. “One was that jewellery was unnecessarily gendered and [the other was] that jewellery could also obtain a level of utility.” Combining his creative and practical industry-honed skills, Rong designed a collection of handcrafted, adaptive, genderless jewellery. Below, he tells the story of Graedance so far.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
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I came into the fashion space with little knowledge but, I guess, a lot of ambition. Being from an immigrant, Chinese, lower-income family, there was little scope for anything creative in my foretold future, let alone fashion. However, like many people who work in fashion, a spark gets ignited at some point.
Prior to Graedance, I founded a womenswear brand called Jonathan Liang (honestly a hugely sliding doors moment that could have never occurred), which over time, grew in Asia and was stocked in stores like Lane Crawford, one of the largest department stores in the East. Although I was technically the business founder, I found myself doing anything I needed to do – a common story.
My first foray into design was when we were commissioned to design T-shirts for Uniqlo (!), and part of the responsibility somehow… fell to me. That definitely ignited something in me; I enjoyed the design process so much and as someone who believes in continuous learning, I made sure I learnt the ins and outs of design so I could explore it further.
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… Moving forward a bit, I later became co-creative director of a menswear brand named Amxander, which focused on reworking uniforms from different eras, cultures and occupations with a contemporary streetwear sensibility. Our work got us nominated for the Woolmark Prize in 2017 and 2018, alongside the National Designer Award (we didn’t win any of these).
… I also started H-ours Project a few years ago, just as a small project arm for me to explore various projects that shine a light on Asian creative experiences in Australia… This was born from the recognition that there was such a large disconnect between creative spaces and Asian communities, and I wanted to find opportunities to bridge that where I was able. Coming from a quiet culture, being visually expressive is how I’ve found a voice… I owe fashion so much.
How did Graedance get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
I am… hugely sentimental. That is why mundane objects can become mementos for me, why my camera album is in its six digits and why I began to feel a disdain for the ready-to-wear market as it became increasingly fast-paced and disposable –even in the designer space.
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… As I had time to reflect during the pandemic, I knew that I wanted to use [that] time to re-evaluate my creative practice… The process really was ignited by the rediscovery of this pair of dolphin earrings I bought for my mum when I was 13, with my first ever (not-so-legal due to my age) paycheck. They were $20, poorly constructed and falling apart, but the fact my mum kept them really inspired me to look towards jewellery as the medium of storytelling.
As a Capricorn, I then took a logical approach to deciding this new direction – I did my research, studied up on the complexities of metalwork, learned how to model in 3D and planned… [where] I could. I did have friends ask why I wanted to stay in the fashion space, as challenging as it is… and the honest answer is that no other medium is quite as powerful.
… As someone who hid so much of myself growing up, I wanted to be able to create narratives that helped others feel confident to be and embrace their identities, celebrate their liminalities and embrace the grey area they occupy in the societal blueprint.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time? How has this evolved, and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now?
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I want Graedance to be a vessel for our wearer’s memories and be a catalyst for them to find confidence in their self-expression.
Where did the name come from?
I always felt an attachment to grey, which has so many shades but is often relegated to one – it’s considered too weak to be masculine and too menacing to be feminine, neither warm nor cold, neither material nor spiritual… I then wanted to combine grey with something emotive, varied and ever-evolving.
How would you describe Graedance to someone who’s never seen it before?
Sculptural, adaptable, vessels for future memories… We focus a lot on the creation of pieces that evolve with your changing body and mood, and we do this through the considered usage of the natural raw materials we infuse. For example, by using slightly higher than 92.5 per cent of silver (around 93 per cent), a lot of our pieces are adaptable in style or design… and ones like the Arpo Ear Cuff use the soft metal to mould to a form [that is] uniquely yours.
What are you most proud of in your work on Graedance?
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I’m particularly proud of the interviews with our ‘dancers’ (our clients/customers), which are hopefully inspirational to our audience. A part of my goal with Graedance was to showcase untold stories, offering insight into the power of diversity… Over the year and a half, we’ve been doing short interviews with inspirational individuals like chefs, musicians and other creatives.
I am especially proud of the video I made with Guech and Wen, two trans-masc individuals sharing their journey and love – their story made me cry whilst filming and editing (like a lot), and it’s really fulfilling to be inspired by the communities around you.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
I don’t have regrets; I see every mistake as an opportunity to learn and grow. Knowing everything from the start would make the journey less challenging and fun.
Dream Australian collaborators?
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I’ve fallen deeply in love with Chinatown Country Club. They present an amazing assortment of exciting brands…. and provide a strong sense of community in their store… This is the key reason why they’re the only place we stock at, and without revealing too much, something exciting is coming together with them at the end of the year.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
[For] international designers, I’m wearing Y-Project, Acne Studios, Diesel and Jean Paul Gaultier. [For] Australian designers, it’s Song for the Mute [and] Ffixxed Studios. I also just returned from Saigon and Seoul with some great local brands like Hades, Lider and 51 Percent.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
We operate via our website and offer free shipping Australia-wide. Those in Eora can check out a few styles at Chinatown Country Club.
To browse the Graedance collection, head here.
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