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Call for application - Future Retail Challenge of The World Retail Congress 2020 (Application deadline: 6 January 2020)

Background An event sponsored by and in collaboration with the Li & Fung Group PolyU Teams were the Champions of 2011, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2019 Challenges Open to all ITC BA students (Year 3 & 4 are preferred). Four winners will be selected to form a Hong Kong team to compete in the Future Retail Challenge at World Retail Congress in Rome, Italy in April 2020. We are now preparing for the 2020 Future Retail Challenge (28-30 April, 2020) in Rome, Italy and invite you to participate. Please click here for the audition brief. Auditions Prepare a 4-min presentation in English with less than 10 slides for the #1 round audition. #1 round audition 13 Jan 2020 (Monday) 9:30am-12:30pm @QT717 #2 round audition (for successful candidates only) 20 Jan 2020 (Monday) 9:30am-12:30pm @QT717 Application For application, please fill in the registration form and submit the form on/before 6 January 2020. Further information Should you have any queries, please contact Dr Eunsoo Baek by email eunsoo.baek@polyu.edu.hk For more information on World Retail Congress 2020, please click here.

Dr Jin Lam invited to judge fashion design competition

Dr Jin Lam, Assistant Professor of ITC, was recently invited to judge the Inter-School Fashion Design Competition, which was organised by the China-Hong Kong New Generation Association, and co-organised by good morning CLASS and the Business-School Partnership Programme of the Education Bureau. The aim of the competition is to offer a platform for secondary school students to showcase their designing talent. The judging session was successfully held on 28 March 2019. Three designs were subsequently shortlisted and constructed into actual outfits for the fashion show at the award ceremony which was held on 18 July 2019.

Prof. Calvin Wong chairs AIFT 2019

Prof. Calvin Wong, Cheng Yik Hung Professor in Fashion at ITC, chaired the 2nd Artificial Intelligence on Fashion and Textile International Conference (AIFT 2019) at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. AIFT 2019 was jointly organised by ITC, and The 19th International Exhibition on Textile Industry (ShanghaiTex2019) from 25 to 27 November 2019. The co-organisers included the College of Information Sciences and Technology and College of Fashion and Design of Donghua University, and the Engineering Research Centre of Digitalized Textiles and Fashion Technology under the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. The three-day conference explored the integration of fashion and textile supply chains and artificial intelligence (AI) which attracted over 250 researchers, engineers, practitioners and IT professionals from the AI and fashion and textile fields. The plenary speakers included Prof. Chua Tat-Seng, KITHCT Chair Professor in the School of Computing of the National University of Singapore; Anne Toomey, Head of Textile Programme at the Royal College of Art in London; and Prof. Calvin Wong. They shared their insights and research findings on the application of AI in the fashion business. AIFT 2019 highlighted AI as an emerging technology and discussed the challenges of using AI in the textile and fashion industries, which would lead the industry to a new phase in manufacturing called “Industry 4.0” and the “new retail era”. The scope of the conference papers included: AI fundamentals, identifying and classifying textile material defects, fabric modeling, identifying fashion key points, retrieving fashion images, 3D modeling of the human body for virtual fitting, and wearable devices. At the opening ceremony, Prof. Wong also announced the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence on Fashion and Textile Alliance with members from various institutions, research institutes and related industries. The aim of the alliance is to provide a platform that would promote and facilitate AI research and its applications in the fashion and textile industries.

ITC alumnus Necro Poon shines at 2019 DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award

ITC alumnus, Necro Poon (BA, 2011) was recognized at the 2019 DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award (DFA HKYDTA). The Award aims to grant local young (aged 35 or below) design practitioners or graduates contributing to Hong Kong’s creative industry. This year, 13 of 16 awardees will receive a financial sponsorship amount up to HK$5,000,000 in total for 6 – 12 months of overseas work attachment or study to further stimulate design thinking. Necro’s high sense of fashion and strong personal style, together with his talent and motivation brought him this Talent Award. He joined Aquascutum (Hong Kong), followed by Adlib, and established his own brand NECRO STUDIO in 2017. Necro was Contemporary Day-wear Group Winner of the 2015 Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest, HKTDC, and won the Collection of the Year Menswear Award 2017, Hong Kong Fashion Council. His collections are often unisex, and always strong and contemporary with political overtones in their names, from SELF-SALVATION OATH, POST-PROTEST ERA - HIGHWALL and SOUND OF RIOT to YOUTH EARTHQUAKE, his first denim collection, and Dragon and Phoenix, a 2019 collection. “I would like to learn about the international market. I feel that working as a design intern will teach me how international brands function and especially design inspiration, sketching, development, product production, pricing, marketing, image management, and human resources.” Necro said.

ITC graduates at Global Sources Fashion Event

ITC graduates were given the opportunity to showcase their creative designs at the Global Sources Fashion event which was held from 27 to 30 October 2019 at AsiaWorld-Expo. Seven graduates took part in the Fashion Parades to flaunt their talent while 6 other graduates participated in a special onsite attraction area called "Young Designers Corner" in which local designers and emerging talents displayed their designs.  It was a valuable opportunity for all of the graduates to showcase their work on an international platform. DEAR by Chan Lai Ting, Ann The Time Traveler by KWOK Kin Ming, Keith (left) M.F.X by SO Ting Hin, Dicky Global Sources Fashion, Hong Kong’s biggest fashion sourcing event, is a gathering of high-quality suppliers from the Asia-Pacific region who exhibit their latest fashion bags, sportswear, apparel, footwear, accessories and fabrics. The exhibition pavilions for fashion handbags, sports fashion and active lifestyle products as well as socks and leggings are the largest in Hong Kong.

Yishu Yan runner-up at International Youth Designer Competition

ITC is pleased to announce that PhD student Yishu Yan received 2nd runner-up at The 6th International Youth Designer Competition (国际青年设计师邀请赛), which was held at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT) on 20 October 2019. The competition theme, ‘Culture Integration’, attracted over 150 submissions from 15 countries, of which 34 finalists were shortlisted to showcase their works and compete for three awards. Yishu’s womenwear collection is called "Aqualoop", which remixes elements of water and colourful knitted yarns in two key directions. One focuses on providing a sense of fluidity, irregularity, and transparency, while the other highlights the attractive colours of underwater life. The colour palette consists of bright tones with shiny edges, such as fiery red, scuba blue, solar golden yellow and bright white. The unique three-dimensional knitted fabrics which are both high in flexibility and inimitable in texture are specially designed and knitted. The shape-shifting silhouettes of the collection rely on the characteristics of the developed fabric which forfeits the need for any further cutting. This collection is based on Yishu's Ph.D. research work on digital knitting. The competition was the kick-off event for the celebratory activities of the 60th Anniversary of the BIFT. The panel of judges consisted of renowned academics and designers, including: Anthony Bednall, Associate Head of Manchester Fashion Institute of the Manchester Metropolitan University Liu Wei, renowned fashion designer Liu Yuanfeng, Vice President of China Fashion Association Anne Smith, former Dean of Academic Programmes for Fashion; Jewellery and Textiles; Product, Ceramic and Industrial Design and Spatial Practices of Central Saint Martins and Distinguished Professor of BIFT Wang Yutao, renowned fashion designer Yang Jie, Vice President of School of Fashion and Engineering at BIFT

Nicole Mak and Enzo Chan awarded at The 9th Hong Kong Young Knitwear Designers’ Contest

Two graduating BA students majored in Knitwear Design and Technology received awards at The 9th Hong Kong Young Knitwear Designers’ Contest which was organized by the Knitwear Innovation and Design Society (KIDS). The contest was held on 6 September 2019 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Mak Wing-sem Nicole won Champion for her design titled “Jupiter”. She received a cash prize of HK$20,000. The 2nd Runner-up, Chan Tza-wa, Enzo received a cash prize of HK$5,000 for his achievements. Among ten finalists, three of them are the BA graduating students were also shortlisted at The 9th Hong Kong Young Knitwear Designers’ Contest. They are FUNG Chun-tat Barry, Mak Tsz-man Polly and Wong Chun-ka Alice.   Photo credit: Knitwear Innovation and Design Society

PolyU signs agreement with ANTA to develop smart textiles for 2022 Winter Olympics

PolyU and ANTA Sports Products Limited (安踏 [中國] 有限公司) (ANTA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding to confirm their intentions to jointly develop high-tech smart textiles for the uniforms of the Chinese team at the XXIV Olympic Winter Games and the Winter Paralympic Games which will be held in Beijing in 2022. The project team is led by two ITC researchers: Prof. Jintu Fan - Chair Professor and Dr Lilly Li - Associate Professor. With their strong expertise and experience in functional textiles and apparel, the team will co-develop wearable heat generating and thermally insulating materials with ANTA for functional clothing that will be used as the uniforms of the Chinese athletes, volunteers and staff. The collaboration aims to provide the best quality products and services and help the Chinese achieve outstanding results at the Winter Olympic Games as well as support sports development in China. ANTA is a leading sportswear company in China and the first Chinese sportswear brand to sponsor an international Olympic event. In September 2017, ANTA signed a contract with the Beijing Organizing Committee to be the official sportswear partner of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games. ANTA will also provide the Chinese athletes with first-class sports equipment. 

ITC stages MA in Fashion & Textile Design Fashion Show 2019

ITC held its dynamic MA Graduation Fashion Show "CHAOS" yesterday. Over 400 guests, including representatives from the fashion industry, family, friends, and supporters were in the audience. Fifteen outstanding talents from the programme of Master of Arts (MA) in Fashion and Textile Design under ITC presented their design projects in the Show. Five awards, judged by a prestigious industry panel, and two sponsored awards were presented to the winners in the Show for their excellence in fashion design. (Please refer to the appendix for the full list of awardees.) The design collections showcased the unusual ingenuity in today's fashion of the graduating students and disclosed their vision and foresight for the future fashion trend. Their masterpieces not only enhanced the vibrancy of the event that the audience waited with anticipation, but also served as a testament to the distinctive quality of MA Programme in Fashion and Textile Design in nurturing talents for the fashion industry in Hong Kong and beyond. Under the leadership of Professor of Practice Ms Basia Szkutnicka, the Programme is rapidly gaining in reputation as a flagship for innovative design training in the region. Talented and ambitious young creatives are guaranteed a year of challenging practice and coaching to produce extraordinary results. Ms Szkutnicka said, "We look to create future industry mavericks, innovators, radical practitioners, and free thinkers. Our aim is to review and shake a global fashion industry from within, collaborate, think in a new way and design for a better future, for all. We are starting by revitalising our base and fantastic city – Hong Kong, with positive energy and a dynamic vision for the future. Our graduates are the future and are now ready for the best jobs. Our manifesto is to be modern, be fearless, to look beyond and birth new ideas. We are the future." The winning collection of Best Collection Award – “Rebuild” by Jenny Lam. Excellence in Craftsmanship Award goes to “The Family” by Arielle Li. The winning collection of Industry Ready Collection Award – “The Women Warrior Revisited” by Jeremy Lam. Future Fashion Award is presented to Jimmy Wang for his collection of “Pieles”. Lafayet Favorite Collection Award – “In-Between” by Claudia Lam. KTC Collaborative Design Project Award – “Retro Futurism” by Calvin Chung, Christine He, Huang Jing-bei and Laura Chen. MIRA Hotel Uniform Design Award is presented to Arielle Li (2nd from right).

ITC students stage a fashion show with people with intellectual disabilities and ex-mentally ill persons

Ten mentally handicapped persons and ten ex-mentally ill persons (participants), presented 20 fashion collections they designed in collaboration with 76 students from ITC, at the “Fashion-type 2019” event yesterday. The event clearly presented a thought-provoking message: Fashion is beyond trend; Fashion can be a tool of empowerment and helps social inclusion and cohesion. Robynn & Kendy, the Hong Kong based musical duo, and One Promise, the emerging band, showed their support to the cause by performing at their event and be the guests-of-honour of the opening ceremony. Music performance by One Promise.   Music performance by Robynn & Kendy. The exhibition was co-organised by the ITC and the Office of Service-Learning (OSL) of PolyU; Hong Chi Association; and New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (NLPRA), with a target to enhancing the participants’ self-confidence. The project also allowed PolyU students to apply the practical skills acquired in their course and build up their sense of responsibility to the society by serving the community. Over 70 students of PolyU joined hands with 20 persons with intellectual disabilities and ex-mental ill persons from Hong Chi Association and NLPRA and co-created 20 expressive textile arts and fashion prototypes which showcased at “I empowerful 2019” exhibition. Together they co-created 20 expressive textile arts, fashion prototypes and heartfelt stories showcased on the runway as well as at the exhibition. The officiating guests at the opening ceremony were Prof. FAN Jin-tu, Head of ITC; Mr Edwin M. W. LAM, General Secretary of Hong Chi Association; Ms Amy FUNG, Chief Executive Officer of NLPRA; and the guest performers Robynn & Kendy and One Promise. Group photo of the officiating guests (Upper row from left): Prof. Fan Jin-tu, Head of ITC, PolyU; Ms Amy Fung, Chief Executive Officer of New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association; Ms Marjorie Yang, GBS, JP, Chairman of Esquel Group; Performance guests Robynn & Kendy; Mr Edwin Lam, General Secretary of Hong Chi Association; and (Second role): Performance band One Promise. The 20 participants also glammed themselves up on the runway to showcase the fashion designs they worked out together with the PolyU students, and shared their stories with the attendees. Participant S. Y. LAM wearing the co-created works doing the catwalk. Participant W. M. WONG showed confidence during the catwalk performance. Project leader of the event, Dr Jin LAM, who is also the Assistant Professor of ITC, said, “The theme of the event this year, ‘I empowerful 2019’, delivers a strong message to the society that fashion is created for every one of us. Using fashion as a medium, both the participants and the PolyU students would be able to express in full their unique beauty, self-confidence and talent through the outfits they jointly produced.” The celebrity guests Robynn & Kendy shared that the project was meaningful, and they hoped to encourage within the community a more loving and caring attitude towards people in need. Two participants from NLPRA shared their stories at the event. S. Y. LAM, who had mild intellectual disability, likes putting on beautiful outfits just like any other girl, and hopes to be capable to choose her own way of living. Pink and white colour, skirt and sakura were her favourite fashion elements. Yet, her parents usually ask her not to wear dresses out of protection. Through this programme, Lam was able to build up her self-confidence and personal identity through the process of creating expressive textile arts. The other participant, W. M. WONG, suffered from mental health problems when he was about to retire. Working in a life-saving occupation had put him under tremendous stress. Only had he joined the programme that he was willing to open to helping hand from others. The programme also provided an opportunity for him to communicate, interact and connect with the community.