Rong Jake Chen
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
