Triangle of Sadness: A theorization of the triadic cultural identity of Hongkongers through sartorial stories

Identity has long been a politically sensitive and culturally fraught issue for the postcolonial generations in Hong Kong. Since the enactment of Hong Kong National Security Law in 2020, patriotism and nationalistic values have been forcefully imposed on Hongkongers, positioning ‘Chinese’ as their sole legitimate identity. Yet the unresolved sentiment of in-betweenness embodied within the postcolonial Hongkongers continues to resonate deeply. In turn, the unmentionable topic triggered a mass exodus of population in the decade, leading up to a new potential formation of Hong Kong identity. This article challenges the existing theoretical framework on Hong Kong identity as an East–West spectrum and thus advances a new praxis – Triangle of Sadness – to reinterpret the complex triadic sense of belonging amongst the Chinese, the British (the West) and the local. Object-based analysis is implemented on the three selected outfits from the featured local fashion brands – Vincent Li Studio, Lam Wing Sum and Luddite 1811. This article will engage the triadic identities of Hongkongers through the contextualization of sartorial narratives shared during the in-depth interviews with the designers of the featured brands – namely Vincent Li, Minnie Lam and Rex Ko. As an effort to engage decolonization in fashion studies and the humanities, this proposition of new theoretical framework aims to enrich the discourses surrounding nationality and identity of the Han Chinese Hongkongers, if not racially marginalized in Hong Kong, by alleviating the stress and despair rooted in in-betweenness and cultural displacement.