MELINA CHEN

“The conversations between body, identity, and culture are more open than ever — it’s no longer just about what we wear, but how we experience the world through it.”

Words by Elie Inoue. Portrait by Zhou Chuan.

“Taiwan is a land of contrasts, where tradition brushes up against innovation, and serenity coexists with chaos.” That is how Melina Chen — born in China and raised in Taiwan — describes her homeland. As a creative director and stylist, she carries within her DNA Taiwan’s unique aesthetic sensibility: a seamless blend of Eastern delicacy and Western openness.

After serving as editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine eyemag, Melina branched out on her own, quickly becoming a sought-after figure within the industry and among celebrities. Whether creating striking visuals for red carpet moments, editorial shoots, or brand campaigns, her work consistently leaves a lasting impact. The enduring demand for her talents can be attributed to the poetic tension her work embodies — a mastery of contrasts. 

“Soft against hard, past tangled with future, refinement interrupted by rawness. I try to create a mood that’s elusive and layered ― something that lingers in the in-between,” she explains.As Melina forged her distinctive visual language, one figure profoundly shaped her journey: hairstylist Nicolas Jurnjack, long responsible for the iconic runway looks of Alexander McQueen. During a shoot for Vogue Beauty Ukraine  in London, Melina had the opportunity to collaborate with her longtime inspiration. 

“I still remember the moment when he described his vision for the hair ― not in technical terms, but through an abstract, poetic language,” she recalls. “As he spoke, I found myself fully immersed in the image he was painting with words. In that moment, I realised something profound: this was what I had been searching for all along ― the ability to trust intuition and be truly present in the creative process. That experience shifted the way I work. I stopped over-calculating every detail and began to feel rather than just design.”

By surrendering to intuition, Melina’s work transcended language, transforming emotions into tangible visual forms. As a creative director, she sees herself as a "visual choreographer," weaving invisible narratives with her team. From conceptual development to execution, she ensures that clothing, set design, lighting, and atmosphere converge  to tell  layered stories ― where every element, from texture and movement to light and tone, plays in harmony like a visual symphony.

Within the stories Melina crafts, she subtly embeds questions that challenge the very foundations of perception. 

“A few years ago, I came across a line in a design book that resonated deeply with me: ‘Design shouldn’t be the answer, it should be the question,’” she reflects. “I used to pursue ‘perfection’ in styling, but I’ve started to question ― if fashion is to be considered an art form, shouldn’t it, like contemporary art, provoke layered interpretations? I now seek to create ambiguity between the clothing and the subject ― sometimes even a sense of tension or dissonance ― to invite the viewer into a space of reflection rather than resolution.” 

Rather than dictating answers, her work invites contemplation. Interweaving her distinct aesthetic sensibility with a spirit of inquiry, Melina Chen creates images imbued with  emotional resonance ― visual narratives that linger long after the moment has passed.

This Industry Voice is part of The Islands Issue 14. Purchase your copy here.