News

SFT and Hong Chi Association present "Fashion for Diversity 2023" Showcasing the power of an inclusive community

76 PolyU students and 20 students of the Hong Chi Association showcased 20 sets of their creative work at the "Fashion for Diversity 2023" on 24 June 2023. Their works encapsulated their creative ideas and distinct personalities to show that fashion is more than just styles and trends, it can also help to build a more inclusive community. "Fashion For Diversity 2023" was a collaborative effort by SFT, and PolyU's Service Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO) , as well as the Hong Chi Association. The project aimed to promote community care through fashion styling and design. It provided an immersive learning experience for PolyU students, stimulating their creativity and talent while nurturing them into becoming active members of the community. "Fashion For Diversity 2023" helped to spread the message of inclusivity and compassion within society. The Hong Chi Association students enjoyed the experience of designing and establishing their own unique styles and were fully engaged in realising their dreams, which gave them an immense sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Dr Jin Lam, project coordinator said, "This is the 8th year of the Service-Learning Programme's collaborative fashion show project at PolyU and this year is particularly significant as Hong Kong is facing a major challenge in terms of mental health issues. Unlike previous programmes, this year's event brought together people with different special needs through an outreach format, promoting engagement and interaction in an inclusive arts community. “Work designed by students from PolyU and the Hong Chi Association were featured in the fashion show to demonstrate the unique and diverse fashion art ecology. This will help to raise public awareness and understanding of individuals with special needs, enabling them to better integrate into society and receive more opportunities and support.” During the event, 20 students from the Hong Chi Association showcased their fashion designs created in collaboration with students from PolyU. Wearing vibrant makeup, they were transformed into professional models and confidently unveiled their fashion sense on the stage, sharing their design achievements with the audience. Two participants, Tung and King, also displayed their creative fashion potential at the event. Tung has autism and tends to be more passive and introverted. She rarely interacts with people and mainly expresses her thoughts and feelings through drawing. However, through the programme, Tung went above and beyond to engage in the creative process and interacted actively with the PolyU students, both online and offline. She shared her design concepts and ideas assuredly, while also showcasing her impressive talent for creating works with an unexpected palace style. Tung and her teammates from PolyU collaborated on designing masks, which turned out to be a significant breakthrough for her social anxiety. From initially being too afraid to look at people, she gained the confidence to step onto the stage and face the audience, demonstrating an inspiring and impressive improvement. King has a mild intellectual disability, and just like others involved in "Fashion for Diversity 2023" the event changed her passive and shy personality, allowing her to become the protagonist of her own life.King tended to lack strong opinions and lived more as a follower, but in this case, she fully immersed herself in the event and showed great enthusiasm for fashion design. Not only did she bravely express her ideas to the PolyU team members, but she also learned techniques such as printing patterns and patchwork. Staging her fashion was challenging, but with the encouragement of the PolyU student team members and with dedicated and constant practice, King stepped out of her comfort zone. In the end, she showcased a creative denim outfit, which surprised and inspired the audience.

ProFashion Master Talk Series

The ProFashion Master Talk Series was initiated by STORE by PolyU Fashion, and it received support from the School's Teaching and Learning Grant as well as a local street fashion label, POPCORN. The series aim to provide students with new perspectives and the latest information covering fashion entrepreneurship, cultures, trends and business practices. Since its introduction in July 2022, SFT has invited nine fashion industry experts to share their insights and ideas with students, including: Mr Eric So, Creative Director of Papamamason Mr Keith Murray and Mr Hanni EI Khatib, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Creative Officer of HUF Mr Tiab Yung, Founder of 1997’s Mr Novel Fergus, Artist and Founder of Yack Studio  Mr Kusaka Naoto, Brand Director of Wild Things Japan Mr Junjiro Kaneko, Founder of Lafayette Mr Julius Brian Siswojo, Founder of 8Five2  Mr Ryo Ishikawa, Founder of #FR2  Mr Josh Ryan, Co-founder and Head Designer of NINEpointNINE Through video interviews and guest talks, students were given different platforms and opportunities to engage with industry experts and better understand the industry. SFT is committed to providing students with a comprehensive fashion education that goes beyond traditional classroom learning. By highlighting industry experts, SFT aims to inspire students and provide them with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in the ever-evolving fashion industry.

Broaden student horizons: Study trip to Vietnam

Vietnam is quickly emerging as one of the largest global exporters of garments and textiles. In 2019, a study trip to Vietnam was planned for students to increase their knowledge of the intimate apparel and activewear industry in Hanoi. Unfortunately, the trip was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The trip finally proceeded in May 2023. With the support of the PolyU Global Engagement Office, Dr Joanne Yip - SFT Associate Dean, Dr Yick Kit-lun, and Dr Huang Tsai-chun led a group of BA students from different disciplines on a 5-day study tour from 14 May to 18 May 2023 to Hanoi. During this tour, 35 students and staff members visited six well-known manufacturers with a rich history, including Best Pacific Vietnam Company Limited, Crystal Martin (Vietnam) Company Limited, Mayfair Garment Factory Limited, Pioneer Elastic (Vietnam) Ltd., Regina Miracle International (Vietnam) Co., Lt. and Texco Industrial (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. These factories are dedicated to the production of intimate apparel, for example, elastics, hooks and eyes, bra cups, panties, etc. They showed our students and staff members the lean production method, automation, along with other technologies including ultrasonic welding, form moulding, seamless bonding, and many more.  SFT is committed to offering more study tours for our students, so they not only gain knowledge from the textbooks and lectures, but also connect with the industry for their future career networks. We appreciate the hospitality of the factories, and look forward to visiting more industry partners in the near future.

Della supports Dr Chloe Ki and Dr Magnum Lam

SFT gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Della, a Hong Kong-based luxury fashion retailer that specialises in bags, shoes, accessories, and small leather goods, for their research donation. This valuable partnership is made possible thanks to the dedicated efforts of our assistant professors Dr Chloe Ki and Dr Magnum Lam. The research project will focus on exploring consumer preferences and concerns related to fashion metaverse (FaMe) retail strategies, with a particular focus on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of blockchain-based fashion items and Web 3.0 retail experiences. The ongoing digitalisation revolution, which includes the emergence of the metaverse, along with advances in AI technology, is causing significant disruptions to traditional retail practices. Whether fashion shopping takes place in-store or online, Web 3.0-specific digital retail marketplaces will play a crucial role in facilitating these experiences. With a focus on Della's main target audience of affluent Chinese consumers, the project aims to help Della in their development of tailored retail and sales strategies that cater to the evolving demands of Chinese consumers in this space by using modern AI research methods. By exploring the potential of NFTs and other digital fashion assets, we believe that this research project can assist Della to unlock new revenue streams and reach wider audiences through metaverse-based retail and distribution channels. This donation not only demonstrates that SFT research has real impacts, but also highlights the benefits of industry-academic collaborations. Through such partnerships, SFT can bridge the gap between the academia and industry, drive innovation and entrepreneurship, and contribute to a dynamic fashion ecosystem.

Dr Chris Lo's research students receives award at PRSC 2023

Congratulations to the research student Nga-Yin Dik who is supervised by Dr Chris Lo, recently won the Best Paper Runner-up Award and received a cash prize of up to HK$20,000 at the PolyU Research Student Conference (PRSC) 2023. The conference was organised by the Graduate School (GS), and held on 8-9 May 2023 on campus. Of the 338 submissions, only 6 papers were selected for best paper. Michel's paper, titled “Developing a Prediction Model for Virtual Garment Fitting Size with Psychographic Characteristics and 3D Body Measurements”, proposes the use of a prediction model for virtual garment fitting based on an artificial neural network (ANN) to investigate the variations in the ease preferences of end users through their 3D body measurements and psychographic characteristics for wearing garments, and also a generative adversarial network (GAN) model to visualise wore avatars with fast and accurate results. About the PolyU Research Student Conference (PRSC 2023) Aiming to promote innovative and high-quality research, the PRSC is a flagship research student conference that provides research postgraduate (RPg) students and the students of the College of Undergraduate Researchers and Innovators (CURI) at PolyU with the opportunity to present their research work and findings. The PRSC also provides an excellent opportunity for students from different disciplines to network with their peers, and establishes a collaborative and active research community at PolyU. The theme of the PRSC is “Research with Impact”. The organising committee is now inviting submissions that describe original research. RPg students of all disciplines at all stages of study and CURI students are welcome to submit papers on any topic.

SFT Summer Internship Programme 2022/23

One of the most anticipated events every year is the summer internship programme at SFT, which provides talented students with the valuable opportunity to jumpstart their career. Since 2018, the programme has offered unique opportunities for students to work on real projects alongside industry professionals, which provide them with valuable hands-on experience and the ability to apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations while building their professional networks. The students are also a source of high-calibre interns for the fashion industry who cultivates them into valuable assets for our industrial partners. The economy and prospects of Hong Kong have improved visibly in the first half of 2023, which have subsequently led to the improvement of the labour market. SFT students also benefit because there are more summer internship opportunities. This year, 34 local and international reputable companies are offering 97 openings, which attracted hundreds of applications from our undergraduate students. Among these companies, SFT is excited to welcome new partners including Hermès, Fashion Clinic, Agnes b, J Crew, Rag & Co, and Swire Resources Ltd. To assist students in preparation for a successful application and productive internship, SFT has specially invited HR senior executives of Loro Piana and The Children's Place to host training workshops. To further expand the programme, SFT launched the Summer Internship Partnership Scheme which allows our partners to employ more student interns or extend the duration of the internship with the same budget, thus offering more flexibility and options. Our aim is to strengthen partnerships with the fashion industry and provide the best possible opportunities to our students to enhance their competence through this win-win situation for both our students and partners.

SFT innovations honoured internationally at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva

Five impactful innovations from SFT garnered one Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury and four Gold Medals at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo), widely regarded as among the most important annual global events devoted exclusively to inventions. This year, about 1,000 inventions from about 40 countries and regions were attracted. These award-winning innovations improve people’s lives and expand humankind’s horizons. In addition, these innovations help the world adapt prepare for future pandemics, as well as safeguard people’s health and well-being. Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury: AI-Assisted Design of Functional Clothing for Scoliosis Treatment Principal investigator: Dr Joanne Yip, Associate Dean and Associate Professor This new approach significantly improves scoliosis treatment and the quality of life for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients by adopting AI to create tailor-made functional clothing for treating AIS. Patient data is used to train a decision tree and three neural networks to prescribe and configure the brace, which is then customised by professionals. Optimised designs, e.g., padding placement, tightness of elastic straps and configurable 3D structures, are suggested to enhance functionality, increase wearing comfort, and reduce the wearer’s spinal curvature. This makes an excellent alternative to the heavy and uncomfortable traditional braces prescribed by orthotists. Gold Medal: A Sport-Specific Soft Manikin System for Sports Bra Design Principal investigator: Dr Yick Kit-lun, Associate Professor This soft manikin system offers a complete solution and scientific guidelines for designing effective sports bras, providing designers with valuable insights. Using simulated skin, breast tissue and human running motion, it can replace human bra fit trials and measures the performance and pressure of sports bras scientifically, objectively and reliably. The biomechanics of breast motion are incorporated to evaluate and optimise the fit, comfort, support, and protection offered by sports bras. It measures bra pressure and sensation comfort, while tracking 3D body and breast motion to assess the bras’ breast control performance in all directions (X, Y and Z). Gold Medal: Revolutionary Mussel-inspired Polyester for Next Generation Sportswear and Functional Clothing Principal investigator: Prof. John Xin, Lee Family Professor in Fashion & Textiles, Chair Professor of Textile Chemistry Inspired by how marine mussels stick to rocks, this invention improves polyester’s abilities to absorb water, resist odours and prevent static electricity build-up by adding a special polymer which forms a long-lasting bond with the polyester. When sprayed on one side of the polyester, it creates a one-way moisture transport effect, meaning that sweat and water is absorbed by the clothing and transported from the body, keeping the wearer cool and dry. The resulting clothes are more comfortable and hygienic to wear, and can withstand over 100 laundry cycles. This technology is ideal for making sportswear and other functional clothing. Gold Medal: Safe and Eco-friendly Antimicrobial Materials with High Efficiency Principal investigators: Prof. Tao Xiaoming, Director, Research Centre of Smart Wearable Technology, Vincent and Lily Woo Endowed Professorship in Textiles Technology, Chair Professor of Textile Technology and Dr Zhang Ziheng, Postdoctoral Fellow; CEO, Ecolar Technology Limited (a PolyU Academic-led start-up) Novel proprietary technologies have been developed to prepare highly-efficient, eco-friendly antimicrobial polyhydroxyalkanoate oligomers (PHAOs), which can be used as disinfectants, finishing agents for personal protective equipment, and in PHAO/PA blend yarns. These PHAO materials are ideal for medical applications as they are fully biodegradable, transparent, non-toxic and non-allergic. With wide-spectrum antimicrobial properties, they can eliminate more than 99.99% of S. Aureus, K. pneumoniae, C. albicans, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, as well as COVID-19, H1N1 and H3N2 viruses. Compared with current commercial antimicrobial agents, they are more effective against microbes, safer, more biodegradable, cheaper, and emit less carbon. Gold Medal: Long-lasting Self-disinfecting Materials Technology Principal investigators: Dr Chris Lo, Associate Professor, Co-Founder, Immune Materials Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) and Prof. Kan Chi-wai, Professor, Co-Founder, Immune Materials Limited The world's first antiviral 3D printing technology developed by Immune Materials Limited is used to create products that can eliminate 70% and 99.2% of the pathogens on their surface within two minutes and 20 minutes respectively. It is highly effective in preventing the spread of pathogens, e.g. E. coli and human coronavirus, in settings such as healthcare facilities, schools, and public transportation. The resulting products have a long-lasting performance of over three years, and can be custom-designed in any shapes and sizes. This technology can also be used to produce high-quality, soft, non-toxic and versatile materials, such as vegan leather.   Related news: Hong Kong Economic Times | 【揚威海外】理大28項發明奪日內瓦發明展獎項 助治療脊柱側彎、減慢兒童近視加深 Oriental Daily News | 日內瓦發明展 理大破紀錄奪31獎 Ming Pao Daily News | 理大研功能衣矯脊柱側彎 「服裝設計不止靚唔靚」

Future Retail Challenge Final Competition 2023

The prestigious Future Retail Challenge was back in person in April 2023 after COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted worldwide. This year, the PolyU team is made up of four SFT students: Herbie Chan (Year 3), Rika Lui (Year 4), Muskan Shah (Year 4), and Dora Xu (Year 3). The quartet flew to Barcelona, Spain  with their supervisors, Dr Magnum Lam and Dr Huang Tsai-chun, to participate in the exciting and intense event. The Future Retail Challenge student competition is a key component of the World Retail Congress. This year, students from five other universities, including the EDHEC Business School (France), ESCP Business School - Turin campus (Italy), Fashion Institute of Technology (USA), London College of Fashion (UK) and University of Amsterdam (Netherlands), competed in the challenge against the PolyU team. The teams were required to select a shopping mall in a non-prime position in their own city or country, which has a closed department store anchor and a large number of empty shops. The PolyU team proposed a new retail business model for the Arcade shopping mall at Cyberport on the southern side of Hong Kong Island. They adopted the latest AI technology, ChatGPT, as a means to attract shoppers to return to the mall by offering novel shopping experiences and seamless customer services. Drs Lam and Huang would also like to take the opportunity here to thank the PolyU advisors for their valuable advice to the team, including Mr Jimmy Chan, Head of Account Management of Farfetch; Mr Anthony Keung, President & CEO of Fenix Group Holdings Ltd; and Ms Tiffany Lam, Vice President – Marketing and Communications at Lane Crawford.    

Dr Jeongyeon Lee publishes in an impactful journal with on multifunctional polymeric phthalocyanine for new- generation of energy storages

Dr Jeongyeon Lee, Research Assistant Professor, recently published a highly impactful article entitled “Multifunctional Polymeric Phthalocyanine-Coated Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Redox Mediators of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries” in Advanced Energy Materials (IF: 29.698), with Prof. Ho Seok Park and his team at Sungkyunkwan University. Dr Lee and his team members reported the synthesis of uniform triethylene glycol (TEG) functionalised polymeric cobalt phthalocyanines (CoPcs) coated onto the surface of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MCs) by using CoPc–MC conjugates. They discussed in detail the formation mechanism of such nanocomposites and explained how their structure is correlated to enhanced transport kinetics, high S loading, and long-term cycling stability when applied as S hosts in Li-S batteries. The novel S hosts offer five distinct characteristics for Li-S batteries:   The Co ions in the centre of the Pc functions as a redox mediator for LiPS conversion, which improves the reaction kinetics during cycling. Elemental N atoms around the Co ions efficiently donate electrons and create polar contacts with the Li atoms of LiPSs to prevent excessive LiPS dissolution. By acting as lithiophilic sites that can accommodate Li ions, the oxygen (O) atoms in the TEG linkers mimic the O atoms in 12-crown-4 (a crown ether) and reduce gradients in Li-ion concentration. The aromatic rings of the electrons of the Pc increase the electron transport in MCs. The TCP coating can inhibit the aggregation of Pcs on MCs, thus producing well-dispersed active metal sites. Dr Lee has extensively published various research articles in the most recent three years related to energy storage and conversion applications in the following journals: Advanced Energy Materials, Infomat, EnergyChem, Small, Small Methods, and Chemical Engineering Journal, and 8 other papers in SCIE journals.   References: Kim, Y., Kim, W. I., Park, H., Kim, J. S., Cho, H., Yeon, J. S., Kim, J., Kim, Y.-J., *Lee, J., *Park, H. S., Multifunctional Polymeric Phthalocyanine-Coated Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Redox Mediators of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries. Adv. Energy Mater. 2023, 2204353. (https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202204353)

Joey Choi and Grace Wong shortlisted for the 7th edition of Loro Piana Knit Design Award

 On 6 April, the Loro Piana headquarters in Milan, Italy, held the Loro Piana Knit Design Award, an international competition dedicated to giving talented students their own creative interpretation of various iconic yarns that represent the excellence of the Maison.  Two BA final year students, Joey Chan and Grace Wong, were shortlisted for the opportunity to develop a creative idea that focused on the theme "Regenerate" – to reuse the fibres and materials provided by Loro Piana to innovate and enhance the value of the Maison’s exclusive yarns by playing with the available colours and using stitches to give rise to new weaves and textured forms. The five other participating design intuitions at the Loro Piana Knit Design Award were: the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, USA); Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, UK); Donghua University (Shanghai, China); Università Iuav di Venezia (Venice, Italy), and Institut Français de la Mode (Paris, France). The champion went to students of the Fashion Institute of Technology.