News

SFT × FENDI: Students gain VIP experience at iconic “World of Fendi” event

In October 2025, a select group of SFT students had the extraordinary opportunity of participating in the renowned “World of Fendi” VIP event in Hong Kong. This exclusive invitation allowed them to self-immerse in the world of luxury fashion and event management, and gain invaluable hands-on experience in an industry-leading environment. Representing SFT at the event were: Chiu Lung Lisa Liang Kayleigh Ng Fiona Poon Nicole Wong Natalie You The event served as a platform for the students to explore the intricacies of luxury brand management, high-profile event operations, and professional networking. Designed for students who are majoring in Fashion or Retail Management, the “Fendi Elite Event Internship” is a cornerstone programme that bridges academic learning with real-world application, thus providing future professionals with the skills and confidence necessary to thrive in the global luxury fashion industry. “They brought enthusiasm and professionalism to the role, contributing greatly to the success of our event. In particular, I would like to highlight the outstanding contributions of Chiu Lung, Nicole Wong, Fiona Poon, and Nathalie You. Their hard work and dedication truly made a difference.” A Fendi representative shared. This collaboration highlights SFT’s commitment to providing students with transformative learning experiences while also showcasing the strong partnership between SFT and the LVMH Group. By combining classroom knowledge with practical exposure, SFT continues to empower its students to excel and leave their mark in the dynamic and ever-evolving luxury fashion industry.

ai-FaMe knowledge transfer: Transforming avatar and digital fashion research into fashion IP and art toys

The ai-FaMe x Dorophy Tang "From Digital Fashion Avatar to Collectible Figure" project — led by Profs. Chloe Ki and Christina Wong — marks a bold new direction for fashion — one where the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds are blurred. The project challenges the traditional notion of fashion as merely clothing for the human body and redefines it as a multi-sensory, cross-dimensional experience. In this project, fashion takes on multiple forms—existing simultaneously as digital content for avatars in virtual spaces like the metaverse; digital assets in non-fungible token (NFT) marketplaces such as OpenSea; and physical collectible figures that consumers can own in the real world. Through this multidimensional approach, the ai-FaMe × Dorophy Tang project redefines fashion as more than garments by positioning fashion as intellectual property, digital art, and lifestyle merchandise. The endeavour illustrates how fashion can originate in the digital realm and seamlessly transition into a physical form, how cultural narratives can be preserved and reimagined through technology, and how collaboration between fashion education and the industry can drive meaningful innovation. Ultimately, this initiative presents a forward-looking blueprint for the future of fashion, where creativity and technology converge to create new kinds of consumer experiences across both digital and physical platforms. Key milestones include: October 2023: Launch of the “Avatar Design Contest” at SFT May 2024: Celebration of the top three winning student-designed avatars October 2024: Launch of the “Calling for Names” initiative for the top avatars November 2024: Minting of the selected student avatars as NFTs on the ai-FaMe OpenSea Store April 2025: Beyond digital achievements, the avatars were brought to life as physical fashion collectibles. SFT design alumna Ms Catherine Hui’s winning avatar Jade — inspired by SFT’s signature brand colours and the elegance of the Chinese qipao — was reimagined as a cultural-meets-commercial fashion collectible. This transformation was made possible through the strategic guidance of Mr Joe Wong and a creative collaboration with renowned IP and toy designer, Ms Dorophy Tang, best known for her brand A Shoppin’ Baby.   Recent media coverage on 深圳特区报

RPg students publish groundbreaking research on AI virtual assistants

An SFT research team — led by Profs. Chloe Ki and Christina Wong, and former postdoc Dr Woojin Choi, PhD candidates Sophie Xue and Violet Wang, and an MPhil student Chong Sze-man — has published a landmark study on artificial intelligent virtual assistants (VAs) in the International Journal of Information Management (JCR 2024: SSCI; Top 1 in Field; IF 27; ABDC: A*). This publication underscores the team’s exceptional contributions to advancing knowledge at the intersection of fashion, technology, and consumer behaviour. Amidst debates about whether artificial intelligence (AI) benefits or challenges fashion retail, it is clear that AI is driving major advancements in VAs, which have evolved from simple chatbots to visually engaging, lifelike digital assistants. Despite these developments, little is known about how the appearance (form) and realism of VAs affect consumer perceptions and service quality. Research on VAs also faces theoretical gaps, as most previous studies rely on technology-, social-, or cognitive-centred frameworks that fail to fully explain human interactions with VAs. Online shopping — where VAs are primarily used—differs greatly from goal-driven, socially interactive in-store shopping. Consumers shop online not only to meet cognitive or social needs but also to seek leisure, escape from daily routine, and immersive enjoyment, so that shopping is treated like a source of fun and stress relief. These patterns indicate that traditional frameworks are insufficient, and research on VAs must account for the hedonic nature of modern online retail. To address these gaps, the team conducted three experiments that examined how the visual form and realism of VAs influence shopping experiences. They found that giving a VA a human-like appearance and increasing its realism significantly improve consumer evaluation. These effects work through two psychological pathways. First, VAs with a human-like form and higher realism made shoppers feel freer and more relaxed (liberated), which increased the feeling of having fun and led to more positive evaluations. Second, such VAs also boosted enjoyable engagement (hedonic engagement), which similarly increases the fun and improves evaluations. Shoppers who browsed for enjoyment (recreation-oriented) are more influenced by these effects than those focused on completing tasks. Overall, the study offers both theoretical and practical insights, thus demonstrating the importance of designing VAs that are not only functional but also engaging, fun, and emotionally satisfying, thereby enhancing the online retail experience.

SFT scholars ranked among World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists 2025

SFT is proud to announce that 15 scholars have been listed on the World’s Top 2% most-cited Scientists, according to the latest two rankings compiled by Stanford University. Notably, 13 scholars are included based on their career-long citation impact. 13 scholars are recognised for their single-year citation impact. These rankings attest to our research excellence and outstanding academia. The scholars who are listed among the Top 2% include Profs. Fan Jintu, Fei Bin, Hu Hong, Kinor Jiang, Kan Chi-wai, Joselito Macabuhay Razal, Shou Dahua, Tao Xiaoming, Wang Xungai, Christina Wong, Calvin Wong, John Xin, Xu Bingang, Joanne Yip; and Drs Esfandiar Pakdel. Over 100,000 top scientists globally are grouped into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields according to the standard Science-Metrix classification. The list is based on composite indicators of publication impact, including total citations, citations to single-authored publications and the H-index. It is divided into two lists in relation to scholars’ career-long citation and single-year citation impact, thus recognising their lifetime achievement and recent research impact, respectively. The two tables below list the rankings of the SFT scholars in terms of ‘Career-long Data’ and ‘Single-year Data’.Our heartiest congratulations to our colleagues on their excellent achievement! Career-long Data Name and Position Scientific Field  Prof. Fan Jintu Lee Family Professor in Textiles Technology and Chair Professor of Fiber Science and Apparel Engineering, Director of Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion, Associate Director of Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology Materials Prof. Fei Bin Professor Polymers Prof. Hu Hong Professor Materials Prof. Kinor Jiang Professor Materials Prof. Kan Chi-wai Professor Polymers Prof. Shou Dahua Associate Professor and Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies Materials Prof. Tao Xiaoming Chair Professor of Textile Technology, Vincent and Lily Woo Professor in Textile Technology, Director of Research Centre for Smart Wearable Technology, Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems Materials Prof. Wang Xungai Chair Professor of Fiber Science and Technology (Global STEM Professorship Scheme) and Associate Dean Materials Prof. Christina Wong Professor and Director of Research and Innovation Operations Research Prof. Calvin Wong Professor, Cheng Yik Hung Professor in Fashion, Director of AiDLab Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing Prof. John Xin Chair Professor and Lee Family Professor in Fashion and Textiles Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Xu Bingang Professor Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Joanne Yip Professor and Associate Dean  Materials   Single-year Data Name and Position Scientific Field  Prof. Fan Jintu Lee Family Professor in Textiles Technology and Chair Professor of Fiber Science and Apparel Engineering, Director of Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion, Associate Director of Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology Materials Prof. Fei Bin Professor Polymers Prof. Hu Hong Professor Materials Prof. Kinor Jiang Professor Materials Prof. Kan Chi-wai Professor Polymers Dr Esfandiar Pakdel Research Assistant Professor Polymers   Prof. Joselito M. Razal Professor Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Shou Dahua Associate Professor and Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies Materials Prof. Tao Xiaoming Chair Professor of Textile Technology, Vincent and Lily Woo Professor in Textile Technology, Director of Research Centre for Smart Wearable Technology, Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems Materials Prof. Wang Xungai Chair Professor of Fiber Science and Technology (Global STEM Professorship Scheme) and Associate Dean Materials Prof. Christina Wong Professor and Director of Research and Innovation Operations Research Prof. John Xin Chair Professor and Lee Family Professor in Fashion and Textiles Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Xu Bingang Professor Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

PolyU Info Day 2025

PolyU Info Day 2025, held on 27 September 2025, was a resounding success that attracted an impressive turnout of over 43,000 visitors. This year, more than 5,000 secondary school students, parents, and prospective students gathered to explore the latest admissions and programme offerings from SFT. The School offered six informative sessions of programme delivery and student sharing, drawing over 500 attendees who were eager to learn about all the different opportunities available to them. Additionally, approximately 400 participants took part in nine engaging facility tours, which gave them insights into the state-of-the-art resources available to SFT students. A highlight of the day was the series of workshops on Fashion AI titled “Unlock the Future of Fashion: Weave AI into Fashion Design”. These workshops attracted around 100 participants who explored the intersection of technology and fashion design. The BA Fashion Exhibition at The Fashion Gallery was another major attraction, with over 2,500 visitors who enjoyed the creative and shortlisted works of graduating Design students. The annual Info Day provides a comprehensive and engaging platform for individuals interested in the fashion industry, thus reinforcing SFT’s commitment to fostering creativity and innovation in fashion education. SFT also expresses its heartfelt thanks to the dedicated faculty members, staff, and student volunteers who made the event truly unforgettable.

SFT students and alumni shine at Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC) 2025

The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), is one of Asia’s most anticipated annual fashion events. This year’s contest was successfully held on 6 September 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the collections of ten talented local designers were shortlisted — including SFT students Iris Tsoi and Mook Yip, as well as alumni Hei Lau (BA, 2024), Vaness Lee (BA, 2024), Ethan Ho (BA, 2025), Karina To (BA, 2025), and TY Yu (BA, 2025). Hei Lau claimed both the Excellence Award and Best Art Direction for her collection "In Pain", which explores the blurred boundaries between agony and ecstasy. Drawing from her lifelong battle with eczema, Hei’s designs capture the fleeting relief of scratching, followed by pain and scars, thus reflecting a powerful physical and emotional journey. Congratulations also go to Year 3 BA student Mook Yip, who received My Favourite Collection Award for his collection "Modern Animals". Mook’s work synthesises human and animal characteristics to create a striking, monstrous aesthetic, which portrays the workplace as an urban jungle. Recap of the Show: https://youtu.be/NdnMLp3pBm4?si=DBjh1eE5qegFVf Finalists' collections: ▲"Scars of the Earth" by Iris Tsoi ▲"Dance in Dust" by Vaness Lee (BA, 2024) ▲"Memory Flavour" by Ethan Ho (BA, 2025) ▲"Office Ollie" by Karina Ho (BA, 2025) ▲"Duhkha" by TY Yu (BA, 2025)

PolyU receives donation from GS Charity Foundation to support research on using AI to advance sustainable fashion design and brand ecosystem management

PolyU has received a generous donation from the GS Charity Foundation to support SFT's research project “From Tradition to Tech: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Fashion Design and Brand Ecosystem Management in the Age of AI and Digital Platforms”. The research aims to drive sustainable fashion design and brand ecosystem management. The donation and kick-off ceremony for the research projects was held today on the PolyU campus, officiated by Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU President, and Mr Yeung Fan, Vice-chairman and General Manager of Glorious Sun Group. The two parties exchanged souvenirs to commemorate the occasion. Co-created by SFT and the Industrial Centre, the PolyU souvenir employs weaving techniques to depict PolyU’s iconic architecture. Engraved with the inscription “With chic, intelligently led fashion, PolyU extends its heartfelt gratitude,” it conveys the University’s deep appreciation to the Foundation for its generous support and highlights SFT’s commitment to driving fashion trends with innovation. In his welcoming remarks, President Teng expressed gratitude to Glorious Sun Group and GS Charity Foundation for its long-standing and steadfast support for PolyU’s development, adding: “AI is a core technology driving Hong Kong’s reindustrialisation and smart city development. With PolyU’s robust research capabilities, this collaboration will enable the continuous supply of talent for the textile sector, equipped with cutting-edge industry knowledge and AI expertise. This will help Hong Kong leverage its regional advantages and further consolidate the Greater Bay Area’s position as a hub for fashion innovation.” Mr Yeung said, “Since the 1980s, Glorious Sun Group has developed a deep partnership with PolyU — one that has remained strong for four decades. Our support for PolyU research into co-developing a brand ecosystem reflects our confidence in PolyU research excellence, testifies to our enduring collaboration, and affirms our shared commitment to nurturing outstanding talent and driving innovation and sustainability in the apparel industry.” Joining Prof. Teng and Mr Yeung at the kick-off ceremony were Ms Cheung Wai-yee, Director and Deputy General Manager of Glorious Sun Group; Professor the Honourable Poon Chung-kwong, PolyU President Emeritus; The Hon Jimmy Ng, Hong Kong Deputy to the National People’s Congress and Member of the Legislative Council; Dr Katherine Ngan, University Court Chairman; Prof. Wing-tak Wong, Deputy President and Provost; and Prof. Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation). After the kick-off ceremony, Prof. Joanne Yip, Associate Dean and Professor of SFT introduced the research project “From Tradition to Tech: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Fashion Design and Brand Ecosystem Management in the Age of AI and Digital Platforms.” She noted that the fashion industry is undergoing a transformational shift, integrating cutting-edge technologies such as AI and digital platforms while also adopting sustainable practices. The extensive use of AI is providing innovative solutions for the industry, enhancing operational efficiency and delivering a brand-new customer experience. Furthermore, the integration of AI with emerging technologies — such as blockchain, cloud computing, big data and the Internet of Things — is creating unprecedented opportunities for enterprises. The research project will focus on the seven key areas below, developing innovative insights and solutions that integrate traditional fashion design with advanced technologies, including AI and digital platforms. This will help accelerate traditional design and manufacturing processes, and enhance the overall competitiveness of the fashion industry: Intelligent Data-Driven Design and Digital Transformation in the Fashion Industry AI Applications in Fashion: Revolutionising Apparel Review and Safeguarding Creative Assets Apparel Material Simulation and Optimisation System Robust Estimation of Product Budget and Data Mining of Production and Operational Data Managing Supply Ecosystems to Enhance Competitive Advantage: An Integrated Study of Multi-Role Supplier Collaboration Mechanisms in the Fashion Supply Chain Industry A Critical Examination of Online Consumer Reviews: Implications for Digital Transformation in the Fashion Sector AI-Based Optimisation Strategies for the Live Commerce Ecosystem

SFT students excel at Young Knitwear Designers' Contest 2025

SFT is proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students at the Young Knitwear Designers' Contest 2025, held on 5 September 2025 at CENTRESTAGE. Lusanna Xu, a BA graduating student, was awarded 1st Runner-Up for her innovative collection, "BODY • PERCEPTION • SPACE". Vincent Cheung, a Year 3 BA student, earned 2nd Runner-Up with his dynamic collection, "CHAMPION5**". Lusanna’s collection explores the relationships among the human body, space, and sensory experiences, thus transforming these abstract themes into creative knitwear designs. She skilfully combines tactile threads such as silk and wool, and uses different knitting techniques and garment designs to articulate her conceptual ideas. Her work stands out for its thoughtful integration of visual effects and ability to express complex themes through innovative textile processes. Vincent’s collection is inspired by athleticism and the pursuit of excellence, which skilfully blends academic influences with sporty elements. Through the use of bold patterns and textures, he has created a fresh and energetic style that showcases both his technical proficiency and creative flair. In recognition of their achievements, both Lusanna and Vincent have been invited to participate in a study trip to Seoul, Korea. This unique opportunity will allow them to engage with international designers, visit leading fashion studios, and gain valuable insights into global trends and practices in knitwear design. Congratulations to Lusanna and Vincent on their well-deserved success!

Prof. Dahua Shou publishes paper in Science

Prof. Dahua Shou has published a peer‑reviewed paper in one of the most prestigious academic journals, Science, on 28 Aug 2025. The topic of the paper is on sustainable personal cooling enabled by the use of advanced textiles and intelligent wearables. From 2000–2019, heat‑related causes claimed over 480,000 lives annually, while air conditioning contributed to approximately 12.3% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., thus fuelling a cooling paradox where more cooling breeds more warming. As heat waves intensify, conventional clothing is reaching its limits. This stand‑alone perspective proposes that sustainable personal cooling is essential for public health, worker safety, and decarbonisation, thus showcasing the leadership of PolyU across the fields of textile engineering, wearable technologies, thermodynamics, and artificial intelligence (AI). The article lays out a roadmap that unites four pathways—radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation—towards next‑generation fabrics and smart systems. Highlights include spectrum‑engineered textiles that reject solar load and urban heat while radiating body heat, plus moisture‑responsive, breathable architectures that vent warm, humid air. Materials strategies span high‑conductivity fillers to aerogel‑inspired insulating fibres. Flexible organic photovoltaics with bidirectional electrocaloric modules expand the range of thermal comfort. Particularly, moisture management technologies advanced by Prof Shou enable optimised capillary evaporation, directional removal of sweat droplets, and low‑voltage e‑wicking systems that actively pump sweat for a consistently cool, dry feeling. Looking ahead, AI‑driven, self‑adaptive garments will learn from real‑time physiological and environmental conditions, harvest ambient energy (tribo/piezo/thermo/moisture‑electric), and orchestrate mode‑selective cooling. Integrated textile sensors and fibre‑based coolers will enable proactive, user‑friendly thermoregulation. Sustainable, monomaterial designs and minimised coatings will enhance recyclability, and standardised metrics are urgently needed to accelerate responsible, at‑scale adoption. The research was supported by the Research Grants Council, the Innovation and Technology Fund, and PolyU’s Endowed Young Scholars Scheme. Dr Ziqi Li contributed as co-author of the paper.

Illuminating Haute Couture: World Debut

Led by Prof. Jeanne Tan, SFT research students have been invited to collaborate on the opening piece for the CENTRESTAGE ELITES on 1 Sept 2025 at M+ in the West Kowloon Cultural District created by internationally acclaimed couturier Guo Pei. At this Guo Pei’s first solo couture show in Hong Kong, she presented 30 one-of-a-kind couture creations under the theme "Gilternity: An Everlasting Radiance” that drew inspiration from the dazzling, fleeting moments of flowing molten gold. Fusing traditional craftsmanship with technology, the collection epitomises her unparalleled artistry and technical mastery. In a gesture that honoured both tradition and innovation, Guo Pei invited GERI Limited, a spinoff company established by Prof. Tan and Tan Jun Jong from SFT to collaborate on the opening gown for the show. This one-of-a-kind intelligent textile was custom developed with Guo Pei based on patented technology developed by Prof. Tan’s research team. It integrates intelligent photonic systems with precision knit engineering to produce an interactive, illuminative material with stretchability. To realize the specific vision for this couture gown, novel advancements in seamless illumination pathways were developed exclusively for this application.  "We are immensely grateful and proud to have played a part in the magic of Guo Pei's breathtaking "Gliternity" couture debut at CENTRESTAGE ELITES Hong Kong. The past months have been a period of intense R&D driven by our goal to create the most spectacular effect for Madame Guo’s creative vision. It was a profound privilege to custom-develop a one-of-a-kind intelligent textile for this historic collection, based on patented technology invented by our research team." Prof. Tan shared.     Photo courtesy: Vogue Hong Kong