THE ARRIVAL
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THE MEETING
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THE CONFRONTATION
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THE DANCE
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In Graedance’s newest chapter, Long Ocean (龙 Ocean), we explore masculinity not as something fixed, but as something fluid—mutable like water, soft like mist, and at times, powerful as the tides.
Inspired by the mythology of the Eastern dragon and shaped by the personal story of creative director Rong Jake, the collection navigates through the inherited weight of identity. Born during China’s one-child policy and raised along the Australian coastlines, Rong’s journey is one of quiet defiance—one that drifts from rigid tradition toward something gentler, more intentional.
Long Ocean emerges as a series of wearable fragments—talons, scales, whiskers, horns—remnants of a dragon reimagined. Each is cast in recycled sterling silver, shaped to evoke both protection and vulnerability. Rings that expand with the wearer. Earrings that reverse with intent. Moonstones clouded with memory. Aquamarines imperfect as a reflection.
The visual heartbeat of the collection stems from Nine Dragons by Chen Rong (c.1244)—a painting where dragons twist through mist and flame. Sharing his name with the ancient artist, Rong felt a pull, a convergence of ancestry and reinterpretation. This collection is his response: a mythology made personal.
As a continuation of Graedance’s genderless design philosophy, Long Ocean embraces dualities—soft and strong, still and shifting. These are not just adornments, but talismans. They ask: what does it mean to rebuild strength from softness? To claim space in the in-between?
“Long Ocean is a reminder that we don’t have to carry what doesn’t serve us. Power can be quiet. Strength can be chosen. And fluidity—fluidity is its own form of resilience.” — Rong Jake Chen (Creative Director)
Photographer: Michele Yong
Creative Director: Rong Jake Chen
Talent: Xin & Alli
Stylist: Abbie White
Makeup Artist: Kara Iacobellis
Videographer: Antuong Nguyen
