For 100 Ways to Wear a Flag, Alicia Framis invited sixteen designers to produce a garment inspired by the Chinese flag. This highlighted the explosion of the garment export industry in modern China, while also questioning how the associations of nationhood could both empower and burden the wearer.
This work refers to her earlier anti_dog series, a collection of designs made with a special fabric, Twaron, that is fire-, bullet- and dog-proof. The anti_dog collection protects women from aggressive behaviour and – perhaps more importantly – gives them the courage and strength to walk around fearless and powerful. With this China Five Star collection, Framis re-empowers women by presenting them in a national symbol.