It is indeed autumn. Not until moving to Taipei 7 years ago did I start to experience the autumnal vibe. And it has surprisingly become my favorite season. How fun will it be to do some of your favorite hobbies in your beloved season? Exhibition-going absolutely. I am going to Nice Neighbor (a Taiwanese designer exhibition) this Saturday, and I’d like to do some previews.

雙颱夾擊的中秋過後，秋意明顯濃了。在嘉義長大的我，於來臺北之前，對秋的印象很淡很淡，直到七年前開始定居這個潮濕的北部盆地，才真正體會到什麼是秋。關於秋的溫度、秋的氣味、秋的颯爽，可以說上好多好多，而在這個我最喜愛的季節出門做些上心的事將會多麼舒服，就像秋風。這個週末計畫好了要去逛好鄰居風格時裝展，入寶山豈能空手回，展覽前夕總得做個預習。

For me, getting to know a new brand is like traveling to a foreign country. I have to know the meaning of its name, how it started, who the designers are, what its design concept is, and etc, before interpreting and feeling the works.

對我來說，認識一個品牌，就像到一個陌生的國度旅行一樣，必定得先從它的品牌名稱、成立緣由、設計師經歷、理念等等客觀存在著手，而後才是對於作品的個人體會與詮釋。

About Ceci and Cecilia

Ceci, an abbreviation of the designer, Cecilia Chang, is a romantic urban nomad. (In French, ceci means “this.” There are ce, ceci, cela, and of course there are their feminine forms. Albeit these three words all indicate “this”, nuances still exist between them. In short, ceci has the inclination of “close to oneself” compared to ce and cela.)  Just as its official website states, “Ceci focuses on the women who navigate between streets and avenues, passion and reason. Adept at combining clean, decisive lines, balancing unevenly draped fabrics to create refined contours, and sculpting a playful cosmopolitan style.”

The designer, Cecilia Chang, graduated from the prestigious Parsons The New School for Design in New York City, founded Ceci in the winter of 2014 in NYC. Cecilia believes that clothing should be true to oneself and be without restraints. She also commits to protect the environment and animals, only using synthetic ethically produced leathers, and uses only materials that are non-toxic or harmful.

關於 Ceci 與 Cecilia

Ceci，取自設計師 Cecilia Chang 的暱稱，（其實 ceci 也是法文中「這個」的意思。法文裡有ce 和 ceci、cela，當然還有陰性的變化，語意雖然都是「這個」，卻仍有些微的差異。籠統而言，ceci 比起 cela 或是較為客觀的 ce，有指涉「靠近自身」之意。）是一襲在城市間漫遊的優雅靈魂。Ceci 的女性穿梭在都市的大街小巷，擺盪於冷靜與熱情之間，而Cecilia 以她擅長的簡約俐落線條、不對稱剪裁與垂墜披掛，形塑了一個幹練優雅，同時也帶點趣味的都會形象。

設計師 Cecilia 畢業於紐約知名的 Parsons 設計學院，並於2014 年冬天，在紐約成立了主打女裝以及配件系列的 Ceci。Cecilia 服膺寬鬆簡約的美學，認為服裝應該是忠於自我的表現，而不該是束縛。在追求美感的同時，她也關懷環境與動物，絕不採用動物毛皮，也只以對環境無毒無害無污染的材料來創作。

Just hours before, Ceci opened up its 16 A/W collection on its online shop. What I’m going to appreciate this Saturday at the NN exhibition is going to be its 17 S/S collection. Fashion definitely is an industry of time. They compete with time, only to accomplish the best.

Ceci 今天剛開放了 2016 A/W 的購買通路，而這個週末我會看到的將是 2017 S/S 設計的展出。時尚是個與時間斤斤計較的產業，從紀錄片、訪談、雜誌等等媒介，我們總能看到壓力破錶的設計師與工作人員夜以繼日焚膏繼晷，只為完成一場完美的秀。

I really admire the paradoxical yet inspiring spirit in Ceci’s silhouettes. The concept of “urban nomad” also catches me. It’s not “urban exploring” or “urban adventure,” but “urban nomad.” Nomad, a community of people move from place to place, just like some women in today’s society, they are not afraid of challenges, even loneliness; they just go for it. They live from city to city, from metropolitan to metropolitan, just to prove themselves. Indeed, Cecilia captures this concept virtuously in her designs.

我非常喜歡 Ceci 俐落中帶點慵懶，幹練裡存在著柔軟的衣飾氛圍。「城市遊牧」這個概念特別吸引人，不為城市漫遊，也不是城市行旅，而是逐水草而居的「遊牧」。身為一個逐都市而居，彷如無根，不停著迷地追尋著一個又一個五光十色的大城的女子如我，Ceci 的確創造出了一種城市感，這種風格獨立自主、不畏懼不驚慌，卻時而流露溫柔與俏皮，巧妙再現了一個當代都市女子的風韻。

Ceci 2017 S/S 設計理念

城市流浪者，放下所有煩躁與不安，穿梭於山林間，尋求心靈的平靜 。

2017春夏色彩及材質選擇上：脆竹混紡象徵著森林的青竹綠、好似陽光親吻般的石英裸緞、水洗牛仔布割劃下的清晨藍、天絲棉的沉思黑與薄透網布交織出的無聲白，彷彿遊走大自然間的舒適恣意。

在17春夏系列中，CECI 採用一貫無束縛的剪裁設計，織繪出人與空間的和諧，和你一起體會心靈與大自然共處的平和。

All the photos in this post are part of Ceci’s 16 A/W collections. If you’re interested in Ceci’s 17 S/S, go and check it out yourself in Nice Neighbor!

這篇文章出現的照片都是 Ceci 2016 A/W 系列的作品，2017 S/S 的形象照尚未釋出。不過都可以在好鄰居風格時裝展上看到哦！

Photos via Ceci
Sources from Ceci、Nice Neighbor

好鄰居風格時裝展 Nice Neighbor
時間：9/24-9/25
地點：TAF 空總創新基地（台北市建國南路一段177號）