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This body of work is inspired by the Japanese—American cultural predicament in the United States during World War II. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, most all of the Japanese—Americans living in America were placed into isolated settlements to live, work and raise their families. During a road trip 5 hours northeast of Los Angeles, I continued into the desert to see one of these settlements, now abandoned. While taking pictures on the site, I noticed a baseball diamond underneath some weeds—a quintessential element of American culture in an environment that was pseudo—American; it was this discovery that immediately inspired this academic study of costume. The resulting collection was meant to pay homage to the Japanese-American people within this historical framework—in part by mixing the femininity of traditional Japanese costume with the archetypal tropes of masculinity present in 1940’s American menswear. By mixing Japanese textiles and design details with classic elements of vintage baseball uniforms and mens formalwear, the aim was to create an imagined and nostalgic aesthetic identity that harmoniously blends these two cultures that at one time were not allowed to coexist.