#BÀBÀCORE is a collection dedicated to the designer’s father, a 56-year-old Chinese man who has taken family responsibility as his top priority. Conservative and mature are the stereotypes that the younger generation has imposed on their father’s generation. In this project, Zhen identified what it means to be a middle-aged man in contemporary society concerning the current state of masculinity. Furthermore, Zhen discussed the meaning of ‘fashion’ for ‘middle-aged’ men and explored how to maintain a balance between identity expression and functionality through menswear design. Specialised in pattern-cutting, Zhen developed a series of raglan sleeve patterns forming an arch-shape silhouette representing the masculinity of the demographic. Bringing synthetic fabric and natural fabric together, Zhen created a dialogue between sportswear functions and tailoring aesthetics.