RUO-ZHEN WANG
& SHU-TING WU

In an age consumed by comparison, people often inflate the best parts of their lives—projecting a perfect image designed to provoke envy.
But beneath this shell of vanity, the mind and body are left strained and battered by the pressure of appearances and empty materialism.

This collection takes inspiration from the layered structure of Russian nesting dolls, symbolizing the external packaging swollen by comparison and desire.
The outer garments feature materials associated with aristocracy, such as silk and suiting fabric, paired with exaggerated sleeves and collars to represent society’s ideals and pursuit of a “perfect” life.
In contrast, the inner layers are constructed from the same patterns but scaled up, intentionally cut with a loose, asymmetric fit to reveal the fragmented self within—an individual forcing themselves into an extravagant shell just to meet expectations.

The overall design exposes the contradiction and exhaustion behind a polished exterior, inviting reflection on whether, in this endless cycle of comparison, we have already lost sight of our true selves.