FNTN | Fine Tune

Inspired by the blend of high fashion and streetwear, especially the designs of Virgil Abloh, I started crafting my own threads back in 9th grade. One issue I had with most modern streetwear was its often apparent disconnect from history; it usually screamed "new" and "contemporary." To fix this, in 2020, I delved into the traditional Dunhuang murals in the Mogao Caves and merged their imagery into a range of T-shirts, shorts, and socks using Adobe Illustrator.

In a summer program with the School of New York Times, I got the lowdown on how to set up a fashion start-up. Energized, I launched Fine Tune (FNTN) in 2021. Building on my Dunhuang designs, I aimed to blend Chinese traditional culture with Western styles into a haute couture collection. Once the designs were done, I headed the marketing team to push our product lines, creating an official Instagram account where we showcased our brand identity, logo, and working sketches. But soon, we hit a snag with our supply chain. No Hong Kong factories were willing to produce our goods in the quantities we wanted unless we compromised on quality. The writing was on the wall - we'd have to fold. Despite this setback, I learned a crucial lesson: I need to be well-versed in every aspect of my company's supply chain; in fashion, that means knowing the factory and manufacturing process inside out.