Best of Tatler Hong Kong: How Chinese women surf the currents of identity and empowerment

In celebration of Lunar New Year 2025, Filipino artist Archie Geotina has partnered with the Chinese-language learning platform Dragon Academy to launch a new edition of his photo series Pearls.

Originally launched in 2021, the project spotlights female surfers riding waves while wearing traditional clothing, with the goal of challenging surfing’s history of white-washing, racism and sexism. The women’s ability to surf while wearing their local attire is meant to prove both their talent and resilience, giving the photos both metaphorical and physical weight. Previous editions featured female surfers from the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea and other cultures identifying with the struggle for identity and representation in a globalised world.

In the new edition, Geotina photographed seven female surfers of Chinese descent in Bali. The subjects were photographed surfing in modern qipao, including one designed by Hong Kong-based Sau Lee.

Read more: Asian female surfers fighting against sexism, body shaming and imperialism within their sport

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}