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Prof. Xungai Wang and Dr Esfandiar Pakdel publish in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

Superhydrophobicity is a property frequently observed in organic materials and animals. This effect is an effective way for plants and insects to keep their surface clean. Inspired by this characteristic, SFT researchers have reported a new type of multifunctional cotton fabric with simultaneous superhydrophobic, antibacterial, UV protective, self-cleaning and photothermal properties. Dr Esfandiar Pakdel, Research Assistant Professor at SFT and a member of the JC STEM Lab of Sustainable Fibers and Textiles led by Prof. Xungai Wang, Global STEM Scholar and Chair Professor, developed a feasible finishing process based on the treatment of fabrics with formulations that contain polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Dr Pakdel and his colleagues showed that the treated cotton fabric is highly superhydrophobic where the applied fluorine-free coatings give rise to a water contact angle (WCA) of 171.3°, which is an excellent WCA value without using any type of fluorinated compound. The achieved superhydrophobicity is because of the increased surface roughness due to the embedded AgNPs and lowered surface energy resultant of the presence of PDMS. Furthermore, it was reported that although the AgNPs are embedded in the PDMS polymeric binder, efficient antibacterial activity against E. coli bacterium is obtained by increasing their concentration. The coated cotton fabrics have excellent UV protection levels that protect wearers against the harmful impacts of UV radiation. It was shown that the transmitted level of harmful UVA and UVB radiations through fabrics which could reach the skin of wearers is only 0.14% and 0.34%, respectively, thus indicating the high levels of protection.  The developed cotton fabric also has a strong photothermal functionality which could come in handy for the development of advanced thermoregulating clothing and anti-icing coatings for cold environments. The fabric is washable with high fastness against numerous wash cycles, thus minimising the risk of leaching out AgNPs and deterioration of the obtained functionalities.    Full paper can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c04598.

Major external appointments

SFT is pleased to announce the major external appointments of the following professors to share their scholarly expertise to benefit the wider community. Professor Fan Jintu - Visiting Chief Scientist, Shanghai International Fashion Innovation Center, Donghua University Professor Kan Chi-wai - Executive Director, China Textile Engineering Society

Recipients of the Faculty/School Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2023 announced

SFT is proud to announce that eleven SFT faculty members are the recipients of the Faculty/School Awards 2023 which testifies their outstanding teaching, research performance and service.  Category of Award   Awardee  Teaching (Outstanding Teacher) Dr Ho Chu-po, Associate Professor Teaching (Outstanding Young Teacher) Dr Magnum Lam, Assistant Professor Research & Scholarly Activities (Outstanding Researcher) Prof. Tao Xiaoming, Vincent and Lily Woo Professor in Textile Technology and Chair Professor Research & Scholarly Activities (Outstanding Young Researcher) Dr Huang Qiyao, Assistant Professor   Services Dr Joe Au, Associate Professor Services (Team) Prof. Joanne Yip, Professor (team leader) Ms Anne Hon, Senior Marketing Manager Ms Yuki Cheng, Assistant Marketing Manager Ms Tina Ho, Senior Project Officer Miss Iris Cheung, Marketing Assistant Miss Emily Ngo, Designer Congratulations to all of the awardees for their dedicated work!

Alumni Derek Chan and Tak Lee selected for AiDLab "Culture X AI 2024-2025: Culture and Future Mode" programme

SFT proudly congratulates its esteemed alumni, Mr Derek Chan (MPhil, 2017) and Mr Tak Lee (BA, 2014), who have been selected as two of the five designers for the prestigious "Culture X AI 2024-2025: Culture and Future Mode" programme. This groundbreaking initiative is led by the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab) and sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), an agency of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the programme, Derek and Tak will have the opportunity to collaborate with the renowned cultural icon, Professor Kan Tai Keung, and use cutting-edge technology in the form of an artificial intelligence-based interactive design assistant (AiDA). Equipped with this state-of-the-art technology, they will create innovative collections with full technical and production fee support. The designer collections from this remarkable interdisciplinary collaboration will be shown in both London and Hong Kong. About AiDLab AiDLab is the first research platform that focuses on integrating AI with design. This platform was jointly established by PolyU and the Royal College of Art (RCA) in the United Kingdom, and funded by the HKSAR Government under the InnoHK Research Clusters.

SFT students experience metaverse fashion journey

SFT is excited to have co-organised “Couture 3.0” with The Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau; ESMOD, an international fashion design and business school in Paris; The Sandbox; and NEWAVE, which allows our BA students to experience an amazing metaverse fashion journey. This groundbreaking competition has brought together the worlds of fashion, technology, and education. The aim of the event is to introduce future fashion designers from Hong Kong and France to digital creation in the metaverse. Open to students currently enrolled in a fashion programme at ESMOD and PolyU, Couture 3.0 offered the opportunity to gain familiarity with the Web3 ecosystem which students will eventually need to use in their career. The winning piece, themed "Retro Street Revival", was co-created by students from both ESMOD and PolyU, and brought to life by NEWAVE, a Hong Kong-based and French co-founded streetwear brand. Besides, a catwalk of the voxel designs created by the participating students was exhibited at The Sandbox booth at the AIA Carnival from Dec 2023 to Feb 24 along with the winning team’s physical design. Congratulations to the following SFT students on their remarkable journey of creation! Au Che-yiu (Year 2) Cheng Sau-wun (Year 3) Teddy Leung (Year 2) Serena Leung (Year 1) Emma Yiu (Year 2)

SFT’s Dean Prof. Erin Cho appointed as Limin Professor in Integrated Strategies and Leadership in Fashion

It is with immense pride and joy for SFT to announce that our Dean, Professor Erin Cho, has become the Limin Professor in Integrated Strategies and Leadership in Fashion as of 1 February 2024. A Limin Endowed Professorship is one of the most prestigious recognitions given to eminent academics in acknowledgment of their academic leadership and research contributions. As many of you are aware, Dean Cho is a globally prominent academic leader and esteemed scholar, particularly in the fields of integrated design strategies, human-computer interactions, and digital platforms. Despite her recent arrival in Hong Kong, her influence is already evident and her contributions are highly valued across various aspects of Hong Kong's academic and industry landscape. We are deeply grateful for and inspired by her warm and inclusive leadership, critical visions, execution capabilities, and her exceptional ability to engage stakeholders and communities.

Transformative Fashion Pedagogies 2.0 | Call for papers

Joint Symposium between Parsons School of Fashion (New York, USA), London College of Fashion (London, UK), COLEGIATURA (Medellín, Colombia) and PolyU (Hong Kong SAR, China) Based on the success of last year’s ‘Transformative Fashion Pedagogies’ Symposium, we are organising a further opportunity to come together and share the progressive and inclusive pedagogies we are implementing at London College of Fashion (LCF) and Parsons School of Fashion. The symposium will once again foreground fashion pedagogy as critical research, asserting the interconnectedness of research, teaching, and industry and/or community organisations and the role we play as educators in enacting impactful social and political change with our students. A selection of papers will be published in a special issue The Fashion Studies Journal , focused on Fashion Pedagogy. This year, we will focus around four themes emerging from our previous discussions and presentations: Design Justice Can empathy be employed as a powerful tool for change? Within the context of academia and social justice, how do we examine our positionality as designers, students and educators? How can institutions engage in amplifying voices of under-represented and unheard perspectives to engage critically in dissemination of knowledge through the expertise of marginalised bodies and minds? Defining Fashion What is fashion? How are we evolving the definition of fashion in response to current times? What must change for a definition of fashion to be considered inclusive? By defining fashion for students are we really only defining ourselves? How do we define what a quality fashion education is? How do we define/ascertain a framework for measuring the quality of fashion education within the current context? Undoing Fashion How can/do we encourage students to challenge, or undo established ideas about fashion? How can/do we develop new fashion pedagogies that foreground climate change and social justice? How can educators reconcile the drive for and interest in the image of glamour with current damaging and exploitative elements of the fashion system? Industry Impact What tensions and gaps exist between the fashion industry and academia? How do we preserve and/or invent generative fashion systems within the context of current industry? How can/do we collaborate with the fashion industry to drive change within fashion practices? The symposium will take place on 26 April and 3 May via Zoom and will take the form of parallel panels, based on these themes. One panel will be offered in Spanish. We encourage proposals for diverse formats, including short ten-minute presentations , panels and collaborative group projects. The types of presentations might include: Single faculty presentation Pair or group faculty panel Faculty and student collaborative presentation or panel Workshops on teaching methods Examples of decolonial approaches and curricula Approaches to inclusive teaching Case studies of specific courses Submission Please send a 150-word abstract, outlining your proposed presentation and format to Ms Sharon Cheung (sharon-sw.cheung@polyu.edu.hk) on or before by 13 Feb 2024 for the initial screening. All abstracts will be double anonymous peer reviewed. We aim to send you feedback by 8 March and the final symposium schedule will be published by 20 March. *Please indicate your interest in having your submission considered for the special journal issue based on the symposium The organising committee Caroline Stevenson (Programme Director of Cultural and Historical Studies and Fashion Studies, London College of Fashion) Liza Betts (Senior Lecturer in Cultural and Historical Studies, London College of Fashion) Ben Barry (Dean, Parsons School of Fashion) Fiona Dieffenbacher (Associate Dean, Parsons School of Fashion) Natalia Ramírez Gutiérrez (Professor, COLEGIATURA) Mung Lar Lam (Professor of Practice, PolyU) Ryan Houlton (Programme Director, MA Fashion & Textiles Design, PolyU)

Dr Chen Jianming publishes revolutionary spider silk research work in Nature Communications

Dr Chen Jianming, Research Assistant Professor, recently published his ground breaking research work "Replicating shear-mediated self-assembly of spider silk through microfluidics" in Nature Communications on 15 January 2024. The research work has been the centre of attention and highlighted in over 18 news outlets with a ranking in the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric. The study is a result of an international collaboration between PolyU and RIKEN, a national research and development agency in Japan and the largest comprehensive research institution renowned for high-quality research in a diverse range of scientific disciplines. The research, which spanned approximately 3.5 years, sought to replicate the self-assembly process of spider silk under native-like conditions. The team used microfluidics as a method which mimics the natural spinning process of spider silk to introduce complex triggers that facilitate the transition from soluble proteins to solid fibre. The team developed a microfluidic system that can directly visualise the morphological changes during self-assembly and simultaneously modify the structural transition within the fibres. This system produces continuous, robust fibres with a fascinating hierarchical structure and diameter of 5-10 µm. The research focuses on the role of shear stress as a trigger, and shows its crucial impact on fibre assembly and the β-sheet structure, which is responsible for the extraordinary mechanical strength of natural spider silk. This successful research project combines elements of biochemistry, materials science, fluid mechanics and computational modelling. The results and understanding of the self-assembly mechanism provide valuable insights into aqueous biomimetic spinning methods and inspire the design of high-performance materials. The full text of the paper can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-44733-1.

Empowering persons with disabilities globally through arts-based engagement

Fashion can transcend trends and be a tool for empowerment. 25 PolyU students teamed up with 10 persons with disabilities (PWDs) from the Centre of Research and Community Inclusive Support (CORMIS) of Vietnam and 10 students from Danang Architecture University (DAU) in Da Nang, Vietnam to co-create 10 expressive textile artworks and fashion prototypes with heartfelt stories. These creative works were showcased at a fashion show on 12 January at DAU. This activity is the learning outcome of a service-learning subject of SFT called “Community engagement through expressive textile arts and fashion” and a collaborative effort of SFT, PolyU’s Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO), CORMIS and DAU. The aim of the activity is to reduce the stigma of PWDs and increase their self-confidence, and allow  students of the two universities to show their support to underprivileged groups through expressive textile arts. Dr Jin Lam, Assistant Professor and Subject Leader said: “Clothing is a basic human need, and people living with disabilities should have access to fashion that excites and empowers them. This is the first cohort of the outbound service-learning programme, kick-started with students from different disciplines who attended fashion and textiles design lectures, participated in intensive hands-on sewing and crafting training, and took part in online training and meetings with DAU students. The students and participants concluded the trip with an amazing and emotional catwalk show. I was grateful to witness all the students and participants expressing their individuality and personality through the co-design process.” “It's supportive, it's collective, thanks to PolyU and DAU students. We're coming together to show that we're like everyone else. The programme shows the non-disabled community that PWDs are here and deserve to be in the same space. We're proud to contribute to our own future,” said Ms Phạm Thị Hà, a member of CORMIS. The programme and the show are featured in Vietnam Television (VTV), the state broadcaster. At PolyU, service-learning is an experiential learning pedagogy that integrates community service with academic study and reflection. This outreach programme is an incredible opportunity to showcase the innovative potential of co-creation and accessible fashion, and enhance public awareness of social inclusion in the global community.

PolyU Fashion Show 2024 prejudging of intimate apparel and activewear

The much-anticipated prejudging of the collections of students in the intimate apparel and activewear specialism under the BA (Hons) Scheme in Fashion and Textiles took place on 6 January at PolyU. Invited judges from the industry carefully selected ten finalists who will then proceed to the annual PolyU Fashion Show 2024 to be held in June. A total of 29 talented final year students showcased their innovative and creative designs in their major of intimate apparel and activewear at the session. The prejudging panel, which consisted of the following industry experts, had the enviable task of reviewing and judging the works of the students: Cerie International Limited - Ms Sarah Marland Hong Kong Intimate Apparel Industries’ Association - Ms Teresa Tse Hop Lun (Hong Kong) Limited - Mr Allen Wong and Ms Dewi Compost Legend Swimwear Factory Limited - Ms Irene Ng and Ms Kami Woo Nike, Inc. - Mr Henrik Siu and Ms Vivian Kwan Parawin Industries Limited - Ms Abbie But and Ms Kiki Yu Triumph International - Ms Choco Lai Yintak Intex - Ms Ale Lau After a thorough evaluation of each design based on creativity, innovation, and practicality, the judges selected ten finalists who will proceed to the next stage of the competition. The names of the finalists were announced at the end of the session, adding to the excitement and anticipation for the main event. In addition to the judging, the session also provided an opportunity for the judges to meet and converse with the finalists. This interaction allowed the students to gain valuable insights and feedback on their designs, which will undoubtedly benefit them in their future endeavors in the fashion industry. Professor Joanne Yip, Associate Dean, expresses her appreciation to the judges: “We would like to extend a special thanks to our esteemed judges who brought their expertise and knowledge to the session. Their contribution was invaluable in making this event a success.” Fashion enthusiasts and industry professionals alike are eagerly awaiting to attend PolyU Fashion Show 2024. With the conclusion of the prejudging session, the stage is now set for the grand event where the finalists will showcase their designs to a larger audience.