News

Professor Chih-chang Chu appointed as honorary professor

Honorary professorships are usually presented to individuals in recognition of their academic contributions and merits. One very deserving recipient of this title is Professor Chih-chang (C.C.) Chu, who has been appointed as honorary professor at ITC. Professor Chu was the first recipient of the Rebecca Q. Morgan ' 60 Endowed Chair Professor of the Department of Fibre Science and Apparel Design, College of Human Ecology, at Cornell University in the USA. He has made many valuable contributions to teaching and research in the field of biomedical materials and medical devices for repairing the human body. Professor Chu received his PhD in Chemistry from Florida State University in the USA. He was also the recipient of the State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities in 2009. Professor Chu served on the Biology/Medicine Panel of the Hong Kong Research Grant Council from 2009 to 2013, and was a member of the Hong Kong Research Grant Council Collaborative Research Fund Committee in 2014. He also serves on various editorial boards, including for the Open Biomaterials Journal, Open Material Science Journal, Open Macromolecules Journal, Journal of Fiber Bioengineering and Informatics, and Journal of Bioengineering and Biomedical Science since 2008. He has published 219 referred research papers (h-index: 62; citation: 12,200) and three books, and received 80 US and international patents. Professor Chu focuses on the multidisciplinary study of design, synthesis and evaluation of a new novel family of biologic active biodegradable polymers (pseudo-protein biomaterials) that would have very unique biological properties like muted inflammatory response, promoting cell growth, facilitating wound healing and would be nontoxic. He is currently collaborating with the Hong Kong Baptist University to advance the delivery of Chinese medicine via his lab's new pseudo-protein biomaterial nanotechnology for the most challenging type of breast cancer treatment - triple-negative breast cancer.

Professor of Practice Appointments

ITC is pleased to announce two new Professor of Practice appointments, effective 1 January 2021. Mr Anthony Keung, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fenix Group Holdings Limited has been appointed as the Professor of Practice (Fashion Retailing); and Ms Janet Cheung, Vice President of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association (HKFDA) has been appointed as the Professor of Practice (Fashion Design): Mr Anthony Keung is a well-known and well-respected business leader, with more than 40 years of experience in knitwear trading and manufacturing as well as fashion retail business. With the continual diversification of his business, Fenix has become one of the major Hong Kong fashion retailers and successfully built up the well-known Italian fashion brand 'Anteprima' as well as established the lifestyle megastore city'super. Mr Keung has also been an ardent supporter of ITC since 2005. He has actively contributed to ITC in various learning activities including travel scholarships, fashion show sponsorships, and internship programmes. He was a member of the PolyU Advisory Committee on Textile and Clothing Industries since 2010, and chaired from 2015 to 2017. Besides, Mr Keung is also actively involved in a number of trade organizations and public services in Hong Kong including the Hong Kong Knitwear Designers Association (KIDS), Trade Development Council (TDC) and Vocation Training Council (VTC). Ms Janet Cheung pursued her studies in fashion design and garment techniques at the renowned ESMOD (l'Ecole Supérieure des Arts et techniques de la Mode) fashion school in Paris. After graduation, she began her career as a fashion designer in London, where she stayed for five years, and gained invaluable experience working for UK fashion wholesalers and manufacturers. Afterwards, Ms Cheung returned to Hong Kong where she continued her fashion design career, working for several leading international and overseas garment wholesale and buying offices. Ms Cheung has contributed to ITC for over 15 years. She has been appointed as a member of the PolyU Advisory Committee on Textile and Clothing Industries since 2003. Besides, she has served as an external examiner for ITC academic programmes. Ms Cheung was also a full time Senior Lecturer for fashion design in the School of Design of The Hong Kong Polytechnic for six years, followed by three years of part-time teaching, which is a total of nine years of fashion design academic work.  In 1989, Ms Cheung started her own fashion design and creative consultancy services which provide fashion and uniform design related services to local and overseas corporates and organizations. Apart from acting as a director for the Hong Kong Design Centre, Ms Cheung is also a board member and advisory member of many other education institutions such as the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), Institute Vocational Education (IVE), Clothing Industry Training Authority (CITA), Caritas Bianchi College of Careers, other trade organizations including the TDC, AGF, etc. From time to time, Ms Cheung receives invitations to sit on assessment and vetting committees of various government-funded well known programmes and design competitions in Hong Kong and China.

Videos Available NOW PolyU Info Day for Taught Postgraduate Programme | Online Info Seminars (9 Jan)

Master of Arts in Fashion and Textiles   Master of Arts in Fashion and Textile Design  

Striving beyond the impossible: Success Story of Gao Qingzi (BA 2018)

ITC alumna Gao Qingzi (BA 2018) is originally from Hubei, China. She ventured to New York City in the USA for postgraduate studies at the Parsons School of Design. Qingzi recently graduated and is now planning to work on her own brand in New York City. Studying at ITC Qingzi has always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. Among all of the fashion institutes around the world, she chose Hong Kong because as an international city, it is the best place to study. “ITC is the best fashion education institution. They have great resources and different platforms that enable young designers to grow their skills,” says Qingzi. Qingzi also praises ITC for its well-rounded curriculum, which helps students to enhance their interpersonal and critical thinking skills through different channels such as internships, service learning, and exchange programmes. Apart from that, Qingzi has learnt many essential techniques in her lessons that contribute to knowledge required in the field of fashion design and textiles. These include for example, pattern making, sewing techniques, illustration skills, as well as design philosophy and concept development. Qingzi notes: "The ITC professors have provided me with a strong fundamental knowledge of the fashion industry." Unforgettable moments at ITC When asked about her most unforgettable moments at ITC, Qingzi recalled many events that are still vivid in her mind. For example, when she won the Hong Kong Best Award at the Ecochic Design Competition, tutorials with her thesis supervisor, Ms Basia Szkutnicka, and many more. However, one particular event stands out among the rest. “But the most unforgettable one is the graduation show at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.” says Qingzi. It was the first time that Qingzi presented her collection on a runway. This is the most precious and significant moment for each design student. From the beginning of the concept stage and learning the skills to the garment making process and ultimately the completion of a full design collection, the project was a long and difficult journey. Nevertheless, the hard work paid off as “Through the graduation fashion show, I was able to materialize my design concept into a real garment and present it to the audience.” It was definitely a 'dream come true' for Qingzi. “Continuously challenging myself and learning can improve my design work or myself as a person towards bigger and better things” The Parsons School of Design is one of the world’s most renowned design schools which boasts talented fashion students from different countries. However, Qingzi did not attend Parsons because it is a well known institute but because "I believe I can explore more of my personal identity in a new environment, and New York City would be an excellent platform  to showcase my design work and talent." Aspirations of Qingzi in design and future plans For Qingzi, fashion gives her the means to express her thoughts, “I love to tell my own stories through my designs or my observations about my surroundings.” Not only does she express herself through the design pieces, but Qingzi also strives to incorporate aesthetics and invoke meaningful discussion through her work. Her latest work at Parsons aims to redefine what ‘Made in China’ means in fashion.  To obtain a more hands-on experience in the industry, Qingzi plans to work as an intern in the coming year before starting her own brand with her friends. Advice for students who wish to pursue overseas studies Qingzi is adamant that if others would like to pursue studies abroad, “Early preparation is the key.” Qingzi completed her Bachelor’s degree at PolyU in 2018, and subsequently enrolled in postgraduate studies in the U.S. She did not wait until she finished her studies at PolyU, but started to prepare her portfolio for interviews in Year 3. Qingzi advises ITC junior students that: "If they are committed to embark on a career path of a designer in the future, they need to be well prepared in advance to make sure that they are fully equipped and ready for the journey of studying a Master’s of Fine Arts programme. It is not easy to get into these programmes and complete them, so potential students would undoubtedly need perseverance." 

Fashion and Textile Design MA students + Camper

Fashion and Textile Design Master of Arts students recently embarked on an exciting collaborative design project with renowned Spanish footwear brand CAMPER. Using trend reports of China and innovative and creative ideas for new footwear styles and product directions, these MA students were guided through weekly online meetings and design 'tutorials' by the creative team at Camper, as well as the MA programme team led by Ms Basia Szkutnicka, Professor of Practice of ITC. This prestigious industry project has provided the students with insights into understanding the 'real' world of commercial creative design as well as expand on their design skills through the use of 3D rendering processes and physical prototyping. The graduate students also had the opportunity to spice up their exit portfolios, which would undoubtedly open new doors  for them to work in different areas of fashion. Camper has offered generous cash prizes and footwear to the best final designs. Follow Instagram account @mafashionhkpoly for more photos.

Fashion and Textile Design MA students @ bbase international design group

Throughout a period of 3 weeks in November 2020, MA students in Fashion and Textile Design ventured into the bbase studio to learn everything pertaining to the art of eyewear design. The bbase international design group, with headquarters in Hong Kong and offices in New York and Barcelona, caters to the development of eyewear designs for fast fashion brands from H&M to Zara and bespoke clients like Cult Gaia and Mimco. The graduate students worked with the bbase studio experts to develop and refine unique concepts for eyewear. During the process, they gained a better understanding of the intricacies and skills required to create an accessory that transforms and frames the face. Three vigorous weeks at bbase resulted in 3D rendered designs, illustrations and physical prototypes.  This industry project has allowed the students to design for a product category that might not have otherwise been on their radar. After some self-reflection, the students realized how much they have learnt and expressed that they would consider eyewear design as a professional craft. bbase offers an internship programme to ITC students and mentorship opportunities after graduation. The project was led by new ITC teaching fellow, Ms Cristina Kountiou. Follow Instagram account @mafashionhkpoly for more photos.

Prof. Bingang Xu publishes in Advanced Materials and Nano Energy

Prof. Bingang Xu, Professor of ITC, guided his research team in a series of frontier research on wearable energy harvesting which have been published in Advanced Materials and Nano Energy. These two top-tier journals (top 5% in the Materials Science, Multidisciplinary category which comprises 314 SCI journals) have an impact factor of 27.398 and 16.602 respectively (2019 JCR on Web of Science). Rapid advancements in multifunctional next-generation electronics have created an immense demand for the development of green, renewable and sustainable power sources. As one of the promising candidates, wearable energy harvesting provides both an approach and devices that can be worn on the human body to convert solar, thermal, mechanical or other forms of energy into electric energy. The challenge is determining how to endow such devices with high power density, good stretchability, excellent durability, and good wear comfort. To address these challenges, the research team innovatively discovered/designed a series of functional materials (including hierarchical architecture nanocomposites, viscoelastic polymer adhesives, organogel electrodes, and micro-carriers of functional molecules) and wearable structures (including woven structures of functional nanofibers) for enhancing the physical, chemical and electric properties of energy harvesting. These works have presented new approaches/devices for high-performing wearable energy harvesters and self-powered sensors with promising applications in biomechanical energy harvesting, wearable electronics and human movement monitoring. X.Y. Guan, B.G. Xu*, J.L. Gong, Hierarchically architected polydopamine modified BaTiO3@P(VDF-TrFE) nanocomposite fiber mats for flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators and self-powered sensors, Nano Energy, 70, 104516, 2020. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211285520300732 J.L. Gong, B.G. Xu*, Y.J. Yang, M.J. Wu, B. Yang, An Adhesive Surface Enables High‐Performance Mechanical Energy Harvesting with Unique Frequency‐Insensitive and Pressure‐Enhanced Output Characteristics, Advanced Materials, 32(14), 1907948, 2020. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adma.201907948 T.T. Jing, B.G. Xu*, Y.J. Yang, M.Q. Li, Y.Y. Gao, Organogel electrode enables highly transparent and stretchable triboelectric nanogenerators of high power density for robust and reliable energy harvesting, Nano Energy, 78, 105373, 2020. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211285520309502 X.Y. Guan, B.G. Xu*, M.J. Wu, T.T. Jing, Y.J. Yang, Y.Y. Gao, Breathable, washable and wearable woven-structured triboelectric nanogenerators utilizing electrospun nanofibers for biomechanical energy harvesting and self-powered sensing, Nano Energy, 80, 105549, 2021. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221128552031123X?dgcid=rss_sd_all T.T. Jing, B.G. Xu*, Y.J. Yang, Liquid doping materials as micro-carrier of functional molecules for functionalization of triboelectric materials and flexible triboelectric nanogenerators for energy harvesting and gesture detection, Nano Energy, 74, 104856, 2020. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211285520304134

Dr Eunsoo Baek publishes in Journal of Business Research

Dr Eunsoo Baek recently published a paper titled ‘Diverse values of fashion rental service and contamination concern of consumers’ in the Journal of Business Research, a premier business journal established in 1973 that covers research on a variety of different business aspects. The paper is meaningful and timely as it sheds light on fashion rental services under the COVID-19 pandemic. As a form of collaborative consumption, fashion rental services have gained increasing attention in the fashion industry. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fashion rental businesses have encountered a challenging situation in which they need to respond to consumers with heightened concerns around contamination. In response, this research work adopts a timely approach to understand how diverse consumption values of fashion rental services interplay with contamination concerns to predict attitudes and adoption intentions. The research findings not only contribute to the collaborative consumption literature but also provide actionable insights for relevant industries. We recommend that practitioners build strategic marketing communications to effectively reach consumers depending on their contamination concerns. Specifically, we suggest that the functional, emotional, and green values of fashion rental services should be emphasized to respond to consumers with heightened concerns around contamination. Nonetheless, our findings show that heightened concerns around contamination weakens the relationship between attitudes and adoption intentions, so practitioners should make additional effort to successfully transfer positive attitudes to behaviors. With uncertainty about the future due to COVID-19 which could even last for a decade until there is the widespread availability of a vaccine (Wan & Johnson, 2020), heightened concerns around hygiene and worries about contamination may also persist for a relatively long period of time. In addition to perceptions, actual buying behaviors have changed, which may persist even post-pandemic (Sheth, 2020). Even though the future is uncertain, our findings provide guidance on the values that are more appropriate for communication purposes and take into consideration the concerns of target consumers around contamination.

New Associate Dean of Graduate School: Prof. Christina Wong

Prof. Christina Wong is appointed as the new Associate Dean of Graduate School of PolyU, with effect from 15 December 2020. Prof. Christina Wong specialises in Fashion Retail and Marketing. Her research work focuses on environmental management and supply chain performance and management. She has published more than 78 research papers which include one Hot Paper in the Thomson Reuters ISI Web of Knowledge and two Highly Cited Papers list. She has successfully secured funding from various sources, including RGC General Research Fund (GRF), Public Policy Research (PPR), and Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme (HSSPFS) from the Hong Kong government, ESRC/RGC Joint Research Scheme from the UK and Hong Kong governments, Eurasia-Pacific Uninet from the Austrian government, Bualuang ASEAN Fellowship from the Bank of Bangkok, Thailand, and others. Established in September 2020, the Graduate School is committed to assisting PolyU research postgraduate students to achieve scholarly excellence and success.

Prof. Zijian Zheng and Dr Qiyao Huang publish article in Joule

Prof Zijian Zheng and Dr Qiyao Huang recently summarised the key performance metrics of flexible batteries (FBs), and proposed a figure of merit (FOM) for FBs in a paper published in Joule. The FOM is a single metric that not only allows for easy reporting and comparison of the performance of FBs but also provides a direct linkage between lab-based testing and industrial development. This work is published as “A Figure of Merit for Flexible Batteries” in Joule (2020) 4, 1–3, July 15. Joule is one of the leading and most respected journals in energy and materials related research with a high impact factor of 27.059. FBs will be in great demand for future flexible and wearable electronics in health care, consumable products, soft robotics, and internet-of-things. The key challenges are finding ways to develop these highly flexible batteries while keeping their high energy density. While energy density has been a well-defined metric of batteries for decades, it is still difficult to benchmark flexibility among the tremendous amount of findings reported by many different research groups. In most reports, the bending radius is used as the metric to evaluate the flexibility; a smaller bending radius indicates higher flexibility of the battery. However, such an evaluation is somehow misleading because cell failure during flexing is determined by the strain, which not only depends on the bending radius but also the cell thickness. Unfortunately, the size and thickness of test cells usually vary significantly among different reports, and a simple comparison between bending radii becomes less meaningful. On the other hand, there is little discussion in the literature on the industrial requirements of FBs and how to meet them for different flexible and wearable applications. Owing to the disconnect between academic research and industrial requirements, and the vast difference in materials preparation and cell structures in the different studies, it is even more challenging to project the suitability of the lab-made cells to real applications. Flexible battery enables the seamless implementation of power supply to flexible and wearable electronics. It not only enhances the energy capacity by fully utilizing the available space but also revolutionizes the form factors of future device design. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to critically evaluate the performance of flexible batteries and advocate a figure of merit for flexible batteries, with the aim of providing a benchmark among the state-of-the-arts and projecting the suitability of the laboratory study to industrial requirements.