Joy Mao

Joy Mao is a Chinese American fashion designer and textile artist based in New York City.1 She is the founder of her namesake slow fashion studio, joy mao, which creates small batches of thoughtfully-made clothing, accessories, and artwork.13 Mao's brand focuses on sustainability, centering people, process, and pleasure in pursuit of a more joyful way of being.3

Mao holds a BA in Fundamentals from the University of Chicago and an AAS in Fashion Design from Parsons School of Design.1 Her journey into fashion began serendipitously while helping her college roommate with theater costumes in Chicago.2 After initially pursuing a career in marketing, Mao decided to follow her passion for fashion, applying to and attending Parsons School of Design in New York.2

As a designer, Mao explores the relationship between clothing, self-identity, and society.1 Her work often incorporates elements of her Chinese heritage and reflects values of sustainability and waste reduction.2 Notable projects include:

1. Chores: An ongoing collaborative textile art practice featuring hand-embroidered interventions on vintage garments.3
2. 八宝粥 Ba Bao Zhou: A capsule collection celebrating New York's Chinatown, created during her artist residency at The W.O.W. Project.3
3. Bai Jia Yi: A special "hundred families robe" created in collaboration with New York's Chinatown community.3

Mao has also been a Creatives Rebuild New York Teaching Artist at The W.O.W. Project in Manhattan Chinatown.1 Through her work, she aims to support those building a more just and beautiful world while promoting sustainable and ethical fashion practices.12