Rooted in Brooklyn, GRACE GUI is a farm-to-fashion knitwear project that reimagines heritage through the lens of introspection and craftsmanship. Launched in 2023 by Grace Wang, the brand is a personal tribute to the dualities of identity, weaving together her Chinese heritage and the Americana influences that once challenged her sense of belonging.

Each GRACE GUI piece is meticulously hand-crafted in Grace’s Bushwick studio, where sericulture, natural dyeing, and sustainability take center stage. From raising silkworms and caring for her angora rabbit to sourcing fibers exclusively from neighbors in New Jersey where she grew up, GRACE GUI celebrates an intimate connection to community and the natural world. By using natural dyes derived from plants and minerals, the brand emphasizes its dedication to materials that are as thoughtful as they are beautiful. The patented felting techniques developed by Grace lend an architectural yet organic quality to the garments, making each piece a one-of-a-kind expression of innovation and tradition.

GRACE GUI is more than a fashion label—it is a living narrative of multicultural exploration. Its collections reflect the fluidity of identity, using fiber and form to articulate the complexities of diasporic living while celebrating the beauty in reconciling past and present. By prioritizing natural materials, local artisanship, and a zero-waste approach, GRACE GUI embodies a vision of fashion as both art and responsibility.

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GRACE GUI

GRACE GUI

 

How we started

Amesh spent much of 2020’s lockdowns in Sri Lanka with his family, using the experience to fuel a new creative process. “I was kind of stuck at home, but then I started cleaning up and found all my mom’s saris. They had been there for all these years in her cupboard and she would wear them like once a year, [and they were] like rotting away. I thought, let’s use what’s around me,” he said. “So I cut up all my mom's saris and turned them into more tailored pieces.” Wijesekera also restored some of his grandmother’s saris, adding embroidery and hand-painting, in other pieces. 

Who we work with

Because of the pandemic, many of Sri Lanka’s artisans and factories were also suffering. Wijesekera notes that the country, a massive manufacturing hub for fashion, has also become a repository for its waste, with companies sending tons of textile waste to the island. His solution was to work with artisans on creating one-of-a-kind knits. “Sometimes I feel like the artisans are treated like machines,” he says. “They have years and years of knowledge, craftsmanship, and skill, and they never get to show their creativity or skill. I would give them a rough idea, but I said there is no right or wrong way to make it.”