The hotel room is neon red. Unrequited, always close but rarely touches and only the smallest of glances are made. This is the story of In The Mood For Love. Confined in the precarious setting of 1960’s Hong Kong, Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan and their ever-shifting sullied relationships, choices were made to mend broken hearts. What once was an act of comprehension through reenactment, slowly and sometimes-not-so surely becomes one of near consummation. Crossing through the foggy river of nebulous intentions turns melancholy into longing for a relationship that was never meant to be.
Inspired by the Wong Kar-wai classic, In Full Bloom tries to capture the very essence of this metamorphosis. A contemporary translation of the romantic process, of early suspicions, of later gestures of seduction, and a final and inevitable blossoming. Just as cheeks flush in rosy color so does the once platonic chemistry between Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan saturates to the romantic. As their yearning for each other comes to near fruition so does their guilt of each other’s feelings. The apprehension in fully immersing themselves intimately lingers through each and every one of their actions, and yet desire permeates the empty spaces between them.
Nearly 14 months of experimentation and research in trying to interpret Wong Kar-Wai’s masterpiece leads Karina to a fascinating creative process. It not only added to her enjoyment and the overall value of In The Mood For Love, but it also combined the two forms of art she is most fond of: cinema and fashion. Both mediums, as Marie Kondo would say, “spark joy” inside. She took her time in settling for each mood and stewing over each aesthetic and material choice which is shown in her effort towards sustainable fashion, she up-cycled deadstock or post-production waste fabrics to produce the three outfits. It is a testament to her willingness in pushing beyond and developing as a designer that she herself also blossomed a personal and distinct style derived from a subject material that is already so rich in one.
- Noel Pendawa, writer and filmmaker.