By 
RONG JAKE CHEN remembers sitting on his grandparents’ bed as a child and turning on the TV to a Wuxia drama. Transfixed by these heroes and villains popular to the Chinese fantasy drama genre, Chen cites their costumes – robes that unfurled into long lines as they flew through the air – as the moment he realised getting dressed was its own form of “role-play” and “fantasy”. Evident in his work as a jewellery designer, this realisation has also come to shape his design language for fluid, mercurial shapes.
But his personal approach to design took some time. Chen got his start in the fashion industry at menswear brand AMXANDER, where as co-creative director played with the social constructs of masculinity in uniforms, and how he could subvert them. Exiting the brand in 2020, Chen’s creative pursuits turned to more clinical thinking in brand consultancy, and even a brief stint as a luxury fashion marketing lecturer at RMIT University. But what started as an art project in 2022, soon turned into a fully-formed line of genderless jewellery in his brand Graedance. Chen’s pieces – demi-fine jewellery spanning rings, earrings and cuffs – use shapeless forms and the colour grey to create pieces that sit outside the conformity and binaries of fashion. To Chen, jewellery has been an intimate exploration of his own identity and queerness.
Always the lightning rod for inspiration, Chen can often be seen around Melbourne, in libraries or people watching en terrasse, keeping a little diary of moments and forms that might just inspire his next piece.
Recently, Chen ran us through five of his favourite fits as we spoke with him about the first piece of jewellery he ever designed, his vision for Graedance, how his personal style has evolved throughout his various creative pursuits, and how he feels about being one of the biggest voices on Australian menswear TikTok.
Fit one
Esquire: Firstly, where did you grow up?
I was born in Fuqing, a small town in the Fujian province of China, but spent the majority of my childhood growing up in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.
Can you remember how you first became interested in clothing and style?
I think like a lot of people, there wasn’t one defining moment. But I’d toss this up between the fragments of influence from some friends at 16, Jayne and Stephen, that sowed the seeds of my education. But also these moments I vaguely recall at age 4, watching a Chinese fantasy drama on my grandparent’s bed – absolutely enjoying the costumes of the protagonists and villains.
What was your first significant fashion purchase?
As a teenager, I bought a $50 dollar Stüssy T-shirt – the most I’d ever spent on clothing at that point in time. I remember it being a significant purchase not just because of its price, but it reaffirmed my membership with my closest friends at that time. There was the four of us, and we loved Stüssy. I don’t wear the blue and grey henley anymore, and I haven’t for years, but I’ve kept it as a memento – the memories are important to me.
Fit two
What was the first piece of jewellery you ever designed?
It was the Midnight Ear Cuff – an amorphic sliver of dense silver that set the tone for our first collection.
What does Graedance mean?
I’ve always had an attachment to ‘grey’. We relegate it to one shade, but in between there are limitless expressions of grey that go in between black and white. ‘Grey’ stands for ambiguity, the liminal spaces where most of us actually live, away from strict binaries. ‘Dance’, on the other hand, is an ever-evolving art form that existed long before us, and will [exist] long after us. It’s all about movement, fluidity, and expression.
Together, they reflect what I aim to do with the brand: create pieces that resonate with the individual, that evolve and move with them. It’s not just about jewellery; it’s about crafting talismans that embrace the messy, beautiful complexity of who we are, and are able to retain the memories we create along the way.
Fit three
Where do you look for inspiration for new designs?
I keep a little diary of moments, forms and things that strike a chord with me in my day to day. Ammunition of sorts, to be able to dissect further when needed.
There are definitely resources that are my go-to when I’m feeling a little flat in the creative department though – I’ve always enjoyed reading etiological tales growing up, so they are my current go-to’s. Moments in the library feel familiar and comforting to me. Or at times, I like to (ok, love to) sit myself street facing and just observe people. There’s so much we can infer and learn from in these interactions.
What does your development and production process look like?
The goal at Graedance is to create pieces that feel both ancient and futuristic; raw yet refined. My personal design language focuses on creating adaptability in design – creating forms that allow you to express the pieces in various ways, or that evolve physically with you. Longevity of ownership is important to me. I want you to have these pieces in your life for as long as possible, before they become curios you pass on.
So the process itself starts from exploring form and materials. I begin with sketches, move onto playing with pliable materials, before rendering them. Our first samples are then tested extensively to ensure that they strike a balance between comfort and design (I often go for a dance in them).
We then work with skilled artisans who have dedicated their lives to this field, in experimenting, refining and of course, hand-crafting the pieces into existence.
You were previously designing menswear at AMXANDER, and now, you’re designing genderless jewellery at Graedance. How have your creative pursuits allowed you to explore different ideas of gender and queer identity?
At AMXANDER, I was reimagining social uniforms – garments that often reflect conformity and homogeneity – by infusing them with symbolic motifs and stories from my own heritage. This allowed me to question and play with the constructs of masculinity and the ways clothing can both conceal and reveal identity.
With Graedance, the exploration has evolved into something more personal and fluid. Jewellery, to me, is inherently intimate – it’s wearable art that touches the skin and becomes a part of your daily ritual. Designing genderless jewellery has allowed me to break free from the rigid binaries that often define fashion. It’s about creating pieces that don’t conform to traditional gender norms but instead invite the wearer to define their own relationship with the piece.
Fit four
Has your personal style changed much since starting Graedance?
I really don’t believe it has drastically. I’ve always tended to experiment intermittently, building upon my existing wardrobe. And I’ve just looked back at photos from two years ago, and I can confirm I definitely am still wearing the same pair of boots and pants I wore in this photo I’m looking at right now. However, more recently as we work on our new collections, I’ve found that Graedance has even pushed my own boundaries of comfort when it comes to expression.
You’re blowing up on menswear TikTok (dare we call you an influencer!) for your videos on personal style. What advice do you have for a reader who might be looking to experiment with their style?
Start with the basics, then stay curious. You don’t know how you feel until you try it. I used to write blog posts on Xanga (RIP), so I’ve always been naturally attracted to the idea of content creation-slash-sharing, but never felt too attached to the idea of being an influencer!
Fit five
What do you look for when purchasing a new piece?
Something that ignites a fantasy. Fashion is role-play, and we get to adorn what we need in these moments of our life.
Any favourite brick and mortar stores in Melbourne?
SWOP is a current favourite. I believe it captures the essence of Melbourne in its space well.
What designers and brands have been steady favourites over the years? Do they influence your own work in any way?
I have admiration for the greats – Dries Van Noten’s work in creating compelling fantasies in his collections has a special place in my heart. However, I have even greater admiration for young independent designers, some friends, who have preserved in their vision – like Robert Wun – and those that authentically share their queer culture to craft spaces – like the new project from my friend Minki, EricAF, and the likes of GMBH.
And if there was anything I take from these friends in terms of influence, is their ability to their resilience, authenticity, and evolutions.
See more of our favourite ‘Five Fits With’ . . .
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Five Fits With: actor and musician, Bryn Chapman Parish
