What comes to mind when you think of a designer? Perhaps it’s a keen eye for aesthetics, a flair for imagination, or the boldness to create–qualities often noticed in those starting their design journey. However, after years of immersive study at PolyU, graduating students reveal that being a designer goes far beyond these traits. Let’s explore the inspirations and transformative experiences that have shaped the creative journeys of aspiring designers at PolyU across various specialisms. 
 

Graduating students from the School of Fashion and Textiles

Neo Wong Wai-kit

BA (Hons) Scheme in Fashion, Specialism in Contour Fashion and Activewear
 

Thoughtful and meticulous, Neo sees fashion as a philosophical journey. His award-winning collection, “The First Light”, explores existentialism through contour fashion, telling the story of a restless teenager finding clarity as dawn breaks. This narrative mirrors Neo’s own process of adapting to change and blending emotion with wearable art.

For Neo, design is a transformative exercise, which “allows us to turn intangible ideas into a visual language that connects us all.” Central to his creative process is problem-solving – a skill he honed at PolyU. “The most important thing I learned here is to always have a backup plan,” he shares, believing this mindset is invaluable in both design and life.

Looking ahead, Neo aims to venture into menswear, create innovative collections, and build his own brand.

Neo’s collection, “The First Light”, clinched the Hong Kong Intimate Apparel Industries' Association (HKIAIA) Overall Grand Award 2025. It is a philosophical narrative collection that tells the story of a restless teenager finding clarity and peace at dawn.

Xu Lulu

BA (Hons) Scheme in Fashion, Specialism in Knitwear Design
 

The inspiration for Lulu’s award-winning collection, “Embodied Perception”, came from Pakistani worshippers’ sacred postures during prayer. Beyond observation, she conducted kneeling experiments in different natural environments, documenting sensations like the wind’s caress, rugged rocks, and splashing water droplets. These multisensory experiences were transformed into innovative textile designs, with knitted structures embodying environmental interactions through material and technique.

Lulu’s journey at PolyU highlighted the importance of observation and self-experience. She credits her classmates for their encouragement and insightful feedback, which helped her grow creatively and integrate knowledge into her work.

She is eager to advance her career in Hong Kong’s fashion scene, participate in more competitions and experiment with new techniques.

Lulu’s collection, “Embodied Perception”, was awarded First Runner-up in the Young Knitwear Designers’ Contest 2025, as well as the Consinee Grand Award at the PolyU Fashion Show 2025. The collection translates environmental interactions into innovative textile designs, reflected through thoughtful material choices and technical craftsmanship.

Graduating students from the School of Design

Jerry Chan Chun-yu

BA (Hons) in Product Design
 

Jerry’s fascination with cars fuels his dream of designing the vehicles of the future. At first, he thought that creating a car with a striking appearance was the ultimate goal, but his teachers made him realise the crucial importance of the user experience–a great car must balance both function and aesthetics to meet users’ needs. This insight now guides his design approach.

“Product design is about thinking on behalf of users so they don’t have to,” Jerry quips.

As Jerry embarks on exploring the world of product design after graduation, he advises design students to “spend more time engaging with diverse individuals and observing user behaviours, rather than focusing solely on perfecting your technical skills.”

Jerry has recently won a Special Mention Award at the DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award 2025.

Jerry seized the exciting opportunity to join PolyU’s E-Formula Racing Team, where he designed a race car built for the track, blending creativity with technical expertise.

Jerry’s graduation project, “Locomobile – Your private train, in 2050”, illustrates his vision of what cars might look like in the future.

Wan Zhilin (left) and Song Xin (right)

MSc in Innovative Multimedia Entertainment

With experience in virtual reality (VR) production, Wan Zhilin and Song Xin teamed up with two other classmates to create “Echo of Spring”, a VR interactive narrative game about resilience. “Everyone has their own life lesson. Resilience and perseverance are essential in any situation,” they share, echoing the game’s heartfelt message.

From their study, they truly discovered VR’s potential as an artistic medium capable of conveying subtle emotional experiences through body and space. Their project quickly gained recognition at major game exhibitions, like China Joy 2025 and the Hong Kong ACG Exhibition 2025, and is now available online. Their success led to the founding of GoGo Gull Interactive Limited, a creative studio dedicated to pushing the boundaries of VR storytelling and game design. Supported by PolyVentures and the PolyU Micro Fund, they have showcased their work across Hong Kong and different Chinese Mainland cities. Their advice to fellow creators: “Be brave and seize opportunities.”

The duo’s graduation project, “Echo of Spring,” incorporates artificial intelligence to create an immersive virtual space for reflection.

Their VR game business will expand into cross-media collaborations and experimental storytelling that bridges art and technology.

These graduating students have shown that becoming a designer goes beyond talent or technical skill. It is also about resilience, embracing opportunities, learning through observation and practical experience, and always putting users first to solve real-world problems. PolyU young designers have uncovered the deeper values that spark true innovation and meaningful impact. Their creative journeys remind us that behind every great design lies a thoughtful, transformative process.