Rong Jake Chen

Graedance           FW Collective            h-ours

NOTABLE

Graedance Launch 2022
What is Chinese Residency (Xiao Ke x Zi Han) via Arthouse 2021
Creative Victoria Grant Recipient 2020
International Woolmark Prize (Australian Finalist) 2018
National Designer Award (Finalist) 2018
Lane Crawford Creative Call Out Australia (Winner) 2018
International Woolmark Prize (Australian Finalist) 2017

PAST

Esquire Australia: Five Fits With: jewellery designer Rong Jake Chen https://www.esquire.com.au/style/five-fits-with-jewellery-designer-rong-jake-chen// 2024
To Be Magazine: Graedance’s Rong Jake Chen is Forging his Own Path in Jewellery Design https://tobemagazine.com.au/graedances-rong-jake-chen-is-forging-his-own-path-in-jewellery-design/ 2024
Style Magazine: Meet The Melbourne Demi-Fine Jewellery Designer Doing Things Differently https://stylemagazines.com.au/fashion/melbourne-jewellery-designer-graedance/  2024
Fashion Journal: Graedance is the Melbourne demi-fine jewellery label making “vessels for future memories https://fashionjournal.com.au/fashion/graedance-jewellery/  2024
Men’s Folio: Designer Rong Jake Chen On Embracing Identity With His Genderless Jewellery Label Graedance https://www.mens-folio.com/111200/designer-rong-jake-chen-on-embracing-identity-with-his-genderless-jewellery-label-graedance/  2023
8 creative Australians on what originality really means to them https://fashionjournal.com.au/life/australian-originality/  2023
Harper’s Bazaar – Interview – Boy Meets Girl: The Rise of Gender Neutral Jewellery https://harpersbazaar.com.au/gender-neutral-jewellery/. 2023
Graedance – Launch 2022
Lecturer – Masters of Fashion Entrepreneurship – RMIT 2021
Fashion Journal – Meet the Australian Project Using Creativity to Get Through 2020 https://fashionjournal.com.au/life/australian-collective-2020-melbourne-hours-art/ (h-ours project 02 resilience recap) 2020
Fashion Journal – Interview – How one designer found success in Australian fashion, without ever attending fashion school
https://fashionjournal.com.au/fashion/dr-martens-hypedc-melbourne-fashion-rong-jake-chen/  
2020
Australian Fashion Council – Export Pathways to China (Speaker) 2020
Elle – Interview – Coronavirus and the Future of Fashion https://www.elle.com.sg/2020/05/22/coronavirus-and-the-future-of-fashion/ 2020
Melbourne City Council – Entering China (Speaker) 2020
Entrepreneurship Lecturer – University of Canberra 2020
Naf Naf x Jonathan Liang Collaboration 2019
Australian Fashion Council – Meet AMXANDER
https://ausfashioncouncil.com/council-of-textile-fashion-blog/2019/24/4-meet-amxander
2019
Smart Podcast – Made in China
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/smart-casual-podcast/id1344684432
2019
GQ China – Interview – AMXANDER’s Spring (Chinese)
http://www.gq.com.cn/fashion/news/news_12413a556f4db4ae.html
2019
The Woolmark Company Naturally Inspiring Speaker 2018
LVL3 – Interview
http://lvl3official.com/amxander/
2018
Lane Crawford x Jonathan Liang Global Exclusive Capsule 2018
Broadsheet – Spring Trends
https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/fashion/article/romance-bdsm-gender-fluidity-and-more-print-print-spring-trends
2018
Harper’s Bazaar – VAMFF National Designer Award Finalists
https://www.harpersbazaar.com.au/fashion/vamff-national-designer-award-finalists-2018-15782
2018
ABC – Feature – Chinese Australian Artists
https://www.abc.net.au/chinese/2018-09-16/chinese-australian-artist-featured-in-melbourne-fashion-week/
2018
Broadsheet – Interview – With Disdain for Conservative Menswear
https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/fashion/article/disdain-conservative-australian-menswear-amxander-arrives
2017
Vogue – Woolmark Prize Nominees
https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/news/2018-woolmark-prize-nominees-for-australia-and-new-zealand-announced/news-story/8f34b55626098f2d9ae4bd3d3836d074
2017
Fashion Journal – Future of Menswear in Australia
https://fashionjournal.com.au/fashion/fashion-features/chris-ran-lin-and-amxander-on-the-future-of-australian-menswear/
2017
GQ – A New Way with Wool: 4 Labels Representing A New Era of Menswear
https://www.gq.com.au/style/news/a-way-with-wool-the-4-labels-representing-a-new-era-for-menswear-in-australia/news-story/33f09511cbed76922d22d4fc0fb2cabd
2016
Uniqlo UT Feel the SEA SS15 Design 2015
Uniqlo UT Feel the SEA FW14 Design 2014
Masters of Management/Marketing – University of Melbourne 2012
MM Grande Ecole – HEC Paris 2012

NOW

Working on an amalgamation of design journey with Graedance: a jewellery concept that explores the expansive space between black and white that, we, of intersectional identities occup, the grey area. Launched in late 2022 to celebrate the wayward individuals who challenge conformity. Currently developing the universe and working on collaborations.

Currently on working on creating further visibility for POC talent in fashion and modelling via project ‘04 macaque‘ of my creative and community projects arm, h-ours. Before this iteration, I’ve completed a project exploring the impact of COVID19 on the supply chains of Australian independent labels. Utilising existing dead-stock resources from these firms to create meaningful objects that reflect the vast experiences and emotions many have encountered during 2020. The project is called 02 resilience and was part two of h-ours.

Consulting on select projects in market development and strategy at my agency, Forward Collective, whilst continuing to provide gratis advice and consulting to young POC designers.

Open to chat always. Contact me on rong@rrjjcc.com

 

For queries on creation, please contact my agents:

USA – david@willysocial.com