News

Minkyeong Bae and Jiyeong Ko receive esteemed 2023 United Nations Millennium Fellowship

Two SFT undergraduates, Minkyeong Bae and Jiyeong Ko, are recipients of the esteemed 2023 United Nations Millennium Fellowship. They received this honour based on an innovative collaborative project titled “The Patience is Bitter, but the Result is Fruitful”. This initiative initially originated in one of the subjects supervised by Assistant Professor Dr Chloe Ki. In their application for the fellowship, Minkyeong and Jiyeong outlined their future aspirations to expand and enhance the scope of this project. The inspiration behind this project was drawn from the eco-conscious initiatives of a fashion brand, sparked by Minkyeong and Jiyeong's impromptu visit to Ralph Lauren's Ralph's Coffee in Hong Kong. Their awareness was stirred by the alarming statistic that nearly 45% of edible produce is discarded because they are ugly food. Guided by their studies in SFT, they recognised the potential of repurposing these surplus yet aesthetically unpleasing fruit for clothing and accessories within the fashion industry. In their project, they envisioned a novel business strategy for the brand. This included the introduction of a tailored environmental, social, and governance (ESG) vending machine, dedicated to the collection and recycling of ugly food. Their initiative also aimed to enhance children’s awareness of fruit fiber cycles, while simultaneously fostering the investment of fashion brands in ESG practices. Additionally, leveraging the metaverse platform ZEPETO, they constructed a virtual world with the intention of enlightening younger generations about the environmental implications associated with integrating fruit fiber into fashion industry applications. Minkyeong and Jiyeong expressed their appreciation to Dr Ki for her support and as recipients of the fellowship: "Dr Ki's invaluable guidance played a pivotal role in aligning our project with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 14. We are genuinely thrilled and deeply honored to have been chosen to join the ranks of the Millennium Fellowship Class of 2023 — an esteemed cohort that includes over 4,000 accomplished peers from more than 260 campuses worldwide. As beneficiaries of the UN Millennium Fellowship, we aspire to take on a leading role in making substantial contributions towards a cleaner and healthier future, with a particular focus on the fashion industry."

"Awakening the Classic Poise" research seminar

Following the success of two research projects on Hong Kong cheongsam-making techniques for men and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) conducted by Assistant Professor, Dr Haze Ng, a public research seminar was organised on 4 August at PolyU, which attracted over 160 guests from the academia, industry, research community and cultural sector, who are passionate about this invaluable type of craftsmanship. The stakeholders who are committed to the preservation of this cultural phenomenon and specialists in this field were invited to discuss the history, craftsmanship, and inheritance of this ICH from a multitude of perspectives at “Awakening the Classic Poise: Hong Kong Men’s Cheongsam Making Technique and Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Exhibition”, including the representatives of the Hong Kong Cheongsam Association (official bearer organisation of the ICH), directors of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and Hong Kong Museum of History, specialist academics, veteran master tailors and registered ICH bearers. A parallel exhibition was staged between 3 August and 21 September 2023 at The Fashion Gallery of PolyU, which showcased the research findings of Dr Ng’s projects together with 29 exquisite men’s cheongsam relics and prototypes. Encouraging feedback has been received from the industry, cultural sector, research communities, and fashion authorities. On 22 September, The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Hu Heping, visited Hong Kong and presented a plaque to the Hong Kong Cheongsam Association, the protection organisation of the national ICH item, the Hong Kong cheongsam-making technique, in the presence of the Acting Chief Executive, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau; and the Acting Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Miss Eve Tam. Our Dr Ng, the executive committee member of the Association, was invited to deliver the acknowledgement address on behalf of the Hong Kong Cheongsam Association to the Minister and the officiating guests. More about the Presentation Ceremony of Commemorative Plaques.

The Hong Kong Next Fashion Talent Award

To reinforce the image of Hong Kong as a fashion design hub and celebrate the evolution of SFT from an institute to a school, SFT organised The Hong Kong Next Fashion Talent Award with the theme ‘Hong Kong Culture – a mix of Chinese and Western influences’ for fashion lovers who are studying in S4, S5, Grade 10, and Grade 11 in Hong Kong. The contest aimed to stir the imagination and motivate the creativity of children as well as encourage their interest in the cultural elements of Hong Kong and increase their knowledge of these elements. The competition also advocated appreciation of local culture and integration of local cultural elements into fashionable outfits. The final presentation and award presentation ceremony were successfully held on 3 Aug. Based on their creativity, originality, the use of local cultural elements in their outfit design and overall appeal, eight contestants were shortlisted for the final presentation and three individuals were awarded for their outstanding work. Champion went to HKUGA College student Miss Fong Wui-ling, Beling, 1st Runner-up to St. Margaret's Co-educational English Secondary and Primary School student Miss Cheung Ka-ching, Minnie, and 2nd Runner-up to Belilios Public School student Miss Chan Suen-wing. The winners received a cash prize of HK$10,000, HK$7,500 and HK$5,000 respectively. All of the winners will also be favourably considered for admission to SFT. Congratulations to the finalists and winners, who stretched their imagination and showed their creativity by integrating local cultural elements into their fashionable outfits. Thanks to all of the other contestants for their participation, and our SFT judges, SFT Associate Dean, Dr Joe Au and Associate Professor, Dr Ho Chu-po, for their valuable comments.

MA in Fashion and Textiles alumni visit alma mater for first time since pandemic

A group of esteemed alumni of the 13th MA in Fashion and Textiles programme who specialised in Fashion Merchandising, recently embarked on a long-awaited visit to SFT and PolyU campus along with their families. This reunion was made possible with the support of the PolyU Base located in Shenzhen. The congregation and the tour to the state-of-the-art facilities of SFT were successfully organised despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The School warmly welcomed the MA alumni back after more than three years since the pandemic started. Their visit serves as a testament to their enduring support for their alma mater. Expressing profound gratitude, the School hopes that its esteemed alumni will continue to maintain a close relationship with the School and support its ongoing development. As SFT continues to evolve and innovate in the dynamic world of fashion and textiles, the support and involvement of its alumni remain crucial. The School looks forward to their continued engagement, as they play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the industry and leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.

SFT collaborates with UNIQLO to unveil consumer attitudes towards sustainable fashion

A collaborative study by Japanese global fashion giant UNIQLO and SFT has revealed consumer attitudes towards sustainable fashion in Hong Kong and Macao. The annual consumer perceptions survey gathered data from 1,500 consumers across various demographics in these regions, investigating their understanding of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), purchasing preferences for sustainable products, and prevalent consumption patterns. Key insights reveal growing awareness and important gaps According to the findings, awareness about the SDGs has surged, with 71% of consumers acknowledging them — a 15% increase compared to last year's results. This uptick demonstrates the impact of social and corporate initiatives aimed at promoting SDGs. Consumers earning above HK$28,800 per month showed higher awareness levels. Of all the SDGs, respondents prioritised "Responsible Consumption and Production," rising from 10th to 5th place in just one year. Furthermore, 60% to 70% of consumers regarded corporate sustainability as highly important. The top considerations were linked to environmental concerns such as production-related pollution, use of eco-friendly materials, and recyclable raw materials, reflecting a post-pandemic shift towards more environmentally conscious living. The gap between intention and action However, the survey exposed a gap between the consumers' sustainable purchasing intentions and their actual behaviour. While over 60% were willing to buy and recommend sustainable fashion products, fewer than 60% had bought such products in the past six months. Notably, about 25% had not purchased any sustainable fashion product within the past year. The survey also revealed a proportional relationship between the quantity of sustainable information consumers received and their purchasing behaviour. Channels like eco-friendly packaging and store displays emerged as key information disseminators. Product quality trumped price considerations Contrary to popular belief, the study found that two-thirds of consumers ranked the product higher than price in their sustainable purchasing decisions. Reasons for not purchasing sustainable products revolved around product quality, durability, and material, casting a shadow over the common myth that price is a deterrent for sustainable purchases. "To convert consumer interest into actual purchases, brands need to enhance the quality and appeal of their sustainable products," opined Dr Di Fan, Assistant Professor, the deputy programme leader of MA in Sustainable Fashion and Innovation, and a member of ESG Research & Sustainable Fashion Hub at SFT. He suggested that to bridge the intention-behaviour gap, brands must enhance sustainable information transmission in their products, promotions, and sales strategies. Trust in Sustainability Information Sources Interestingly, universities and academic research institutions were deemed the most trusted sources for sustainable product information, followed by government agencies and environmental organisations. Only about 10% trusted the information released by companies. Dr Magnum Lam, Assistant Professor and the deputy programme leader of MA in Global Fashion Management, underscored the importance of clear, transparent information in bridging the gap between consumers' sustainable purchasing intentions and behaviours. He emphasised the need for industry and consumers to work together to raise public awareness about sustainability. Dedicated to fostering responsible research and sustainable fashion, SFT will continue to use education and research as catalysts for change. Through nurturing a new generation of sustainability-conscious professionals, SFT seeks to bridge the gap between intention and action in sustainable fashion consumption, contributing to a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.   Related news and media coverage: Survey on consumer perceptions of sustainable fashion in Hong Kong and Macau UNIQLO與理大調查:港澳消費者SDGs認知度提升 (ETNet) 【可持續調查】 67%港澳消費者一年只買三件或以下可持續時尚產品 不購買主因原來係呢樣 (HKET) 70%人重視企業可持續發展 (Oriental Daily) 研究調查｜理大、UNIQLO：少於6成港人購買可持續時裝｜全因3個考慮 (HK Business Times)

Fashion The Future Design Competition

To promote sustainable fashion and green life concepts to the public, SFT partnered with the Miramar Group to organise the first “Fashion The Future Design Competition” in early 2023. The Miramar Group launched the “Mi Go Green” platform to celebrate its 65th anniversary, in their efforts to advocate for sustainable development and environmental protection to the public and industry. Part of their campaign is to work with SFT along with an environmental protection organisation, Redress, and the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab) to support the Fashion The Future Design Competition throughout the different stages, including fashion design, material sourcing, and garment production. The 10 finalists upcycled the recycled clothing or textile waste provided by Redress. Then they used the new Artificial Intelligence Based Fashion Design Assistant (AiDA) that AiDLab developed to quickly conceptualise their collection. This platform helps to reduce the required sample production time and consumption of resources that go into creating new garments, including fabric, accessories, sewing machines, electricity, etc. The competition finale was held on 15 July at Mira Place where three winners were acknowledged for their creativity, originality and workmanship, including “Blessed Bonds” by Lam Hei Man, “Pantropica” by Ng Pui Pui, and “Mazycle” by Lee Yee Man. Each winner received a cash prize of $10,000. The 20 outfits created by the 10 finalists were displayed from 15 to 31 July in the atrium of Mira Place. Lam Hei Man is a Year 3 design student. The theme of her collection, “Blessed Bonds”, is based on traditional Chinese quilts. She explained that her two designs symbolically impart good luck: "By sewing these donated clothes together, I hope to create a blessed quilt that will bring good luck to children and families while promoting sustainable design concepts”. Ng Pui Pui is also a Year 3 design student whose collection “Pantropica” was inspired by ferns that open their leaves during the day and close them at night. Her energetic and functional sportswear collection highlights the vitality and sustainability of plants. After receiving her award, she said: “I am very grateful to the judges who appreciate my work.” She aspires to work in the knitting industry in the future. Prof Erin Cho, School Dean, also shared her thoughts about the competition: “I hope this competition can cultivate participants' creativity in sustainable fashion and at the same time, attract more young designers who can put this concept into practice and in their future designs. I look forward to similar collaborations in the future to reshape society's definition of ‘fashion’”.  

PolyU Fashion Outstanding Alumni Awards 2023

The Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award publicly recognises outstanding PolyU graduates for their professional achievements and significant contributions to the community and their alma mater.  We are delighted to announce that Mr Luo Jie (MA, 2013), Chief Executive Officer of Shenzhen Shaking Entertainment Technology Limited, is the recipient of the PolyU Fashion Outstanding Alumni Award 2023.  Meanwhile, Mr Derek Chan, Co-founder and Design Director of DEMO has been selected as the recipient of the PolyU Fashion Outstanding Young Alumni Award 2023. Both SFT and PolyU commend their invaluable contributions and entrepreneurial achievements. Mr Luo Jie, Chief Executive Officer of Shenzhen Shaking Entertainment Technology Limited Mr Luo has studied around Asia in fashion-related programmes. He graduated with a Master's degree in Fashion and Textiles (Fashion Merchandising) in 2013.  As a prominent figure in the world of entrepreneurship and international trade, Mr Luo is a post-1985 returnee and Hong Kong-Macao committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and has achieved great success in his career.  Playing a crucial role in bringing these international giants into the Chinese market, Mr Luo is a top trader for global beauty brands such as Revlon and L'Oréal. With years of experience in fashion e-commerce, brand management, digital marketing, advertising media, and business consulting, as well as cross-industry expertise in IP operations, he has become a sought-after guest lecturer and mentor for entrepreneurship at many well-known universities.In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Mr Luo was First Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Outstanding Young Entrepreneur in 2020, solidifying his status as a rising star in the world of business. With his wealth of experience and expertise, he continues to inspire and mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs while significantly impacting the industry. As a PolyU alumnus, he feels very honored. He has always been dedicated to giving back to his alma mater. Mr Derek Chan, Co-founder and Design Director of DEMO Esteemed fashion designer Mr Derek Chan, obtained his Bachelor and Master degrees in 2011 and 2017 respectively. He served as a Visiting Lecturer at SFT in 2022, is making waves in the fashion industry with his innovative and boundary-pushing creations.  Having made a name for himself as a finalist in the Young Fashion Designer's Competition (YDC) in 2012, Mr Chan went on to establish his own label, DEMO, a fashion label that reimagines traditional masculinity in contemporary and gender-neutral designs.  Over the years,  his work has garnered critical acclaim on the international stage. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the industry, Mr Chan has received numerous accolades, including Designer of the Year (Menswear) in 2016 and Collection of the Year Award in 2019 both from the Hong Kong Fashion Council.  He was nominated as one of the nine emerging Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) designers by HYPEBEAST.  Fashion Asia named Mr Chan as one of the 10 Asian Designers to Watch in 2019 and 2020.  In 2022, DEMO was selected as a featured Hong Kong designer at the CENTRESTAGE ELITES 2022 Opening Gala Show, securing Mr Chan's status as a rising star in the fashion world. We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations again to Mr Luo and Mr Chan for their exceptional contributions and achievements!

MA Fashion Graduate Show 2023 "I = x, y, z, w”

SFT showcased the creative designs of 17 graduating students from its MA in Fashion and Textile Design at its annual graduation fashion show on 6 July at PMQ, a Grade 3 Historic Hong Kong Building, attracting an audience of over 300 with distinguished guests including local designer Ms Lu Lu Cheung, as well as a global audience of nearly 24,000 on the online live stream of YouTube, Wechat and Weibo. The theme of this year's Show is "I = x, y, z, w". All that the audiences saw, heard and felt were presented as a gateway into the designers’ complex inner psyche (x, y, z, w). The Show was opened by student Sheng Zhichao, who brought along a menswear collection inspired by his childhood memories of playing hide and seek. His design underlines the notions of exposure and concealment. One of the pinnacle moments of the evening was created by Yin Hao, whose collection was an exploration of virtual healing and traditional Chinese medicine. Each outfit of her collection embedded 3D printed ‘virtual devices’ in the garment. Another highlight was the collection of Li Bingxue. The collection was inspired by how women can take control of their environment through states of dress and undress. Closing the Show was the collection of He Yitong. It was inspired by how weeds and certain economic classes of people could be considered as being social survivors. The designer wanted to bring urbanites closer to nature, where there were garments that had been plant dyed. Mr Ryan Scott Houlton, programme leader, hopes that talented and ambitious young designers can fully demonstrate their creative potential through this practical one-year course. He remarked, “This programme aims to nurture future industry mavericks, who are innovative and free-thinking. We also equip them with comprehensive skillset. I look forward to seeing our graduates shine in the field, and become a new driving force and potential disrupters in the global fashion industry.”

SFT staff members honoured with Long Service Award

A total of 11 staff members received the Long Service Award 2022 in recognition of their years of services at the University. The awardees have been serving in PolyU for 15 years or more, some even for 25 years: Dr Desmond Chau, Teaching Fellow Ms Yuki Cheng, Assistant Marketing Manager Miss Sicily Ho, Executive Officer II Dr Hua Tao, Associate Professor Dr Kevin Hui, Scientific Officer Miss Alman Lai, Clerical Officer II Prof. Chris Lo, Professor Prof. Calvin Wong, Professor and Cheng Yik Hung Professor in Fashion Prof. Christina Wong, Professor and Director of Research and Innovation Office Ms Dorothy Wong, Clerical Officer II Prof. Xu Bingang, Professor SFT would like to thank these staff members for their dedicated and loyal service to PolyU. The Long Service Award Scheme has been introduced since 1990 to foster a sense of belongings among PolyU staff.

Rising Hong Kong fashion talent wows audience at PolyU Fashion Show 2023

Hong Kong fashion is in full bloom again! At the highly anticipated PolyU Fashion Show held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 28 June 2023, 30 talented students wowed the audience during the catwalk show and dazzled the judges, industry experts and local fashionistas with their innovative and unique concepts of contemporary fashion and creative designs. Organised by SFT, the Show clearly demonstrated the emerging new power of local fashion. From casual outfits to evening wear, activewear and lingerie, the graduating students from the University’s flagship programme, the BA (Hons) Scheme in Fashion and Textiles, displayed masterpieces of design on the runway. Hosted by Ms Rabeea Yeung, the Show attracted an audience of over 1,400 with many distinguished guests including renowned local designers Ms Vivienne Tam and Mr Manix Wong, as well as Ms Lilian Kan and Ms Mary Yu, who are also alumni of the School; while a global audience of nearly 40,000 also watched the show online through YouTube, Wechat and Weibo live stream. As a world-class fashion and textiles education institution, SFT is dedicated to providing a vibrant creative community to foster students’ development as independent designers, thinkers, leaders and entrepreneurs. Supported by a variety of industry partners and sponsors, the Show engaged students with key industry players from across the fashion and technology sectors, helping them stay abreast of current industry trends and further their careers. Eight awards and scholarships were presented at the Show in recognition of outstanding work and to encourage the talented students to pursue their dreams in fashion while embracing their fruitful academic journey at SFT. The judging panel for the Overall Grand Award, sponsored by the Nameson Group, comprised leading fashion designers and industry professionals, including Mr Benny Wong, Chairman of Nameson Group and Ms Janet Cheung, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association. Three outstanding alumni, fashion practitioners with remarkable achievements in their respective fields, were also invited to join the panel for the selection of the overall winner. They included Mr Derek Chan (M.Phil / 2016), who was a finalist in the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designer’s Competition 2012 (YDC) and is currently the Design Director and Co-founder of DEMO, a fashion label that reimagines traditional masculinity in contemporary and gender-neutral designs. In addition to nominated as one of the nine emerging Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) designers by HYPEBEAST, Derek was also being selected by Hong Kong Fashion Council as Designer of the Year (Menswear) in 2016 as well as bagged the Collection of the Year award in 2019, and one of the 10 Asian Designers to Watch Awards from Fashion Asia in 2019 and 2020. Mr Daniel Cheung (BA / 2016) is now a celebrity stylist and Fashion Director of Madame Figaro Hong Kong, a reputed French fashion magazine. With his creativity, knowledge and great eye for recognising trends, Daniel has been invited to style numerous magazine covers and frequently works as a consultant with various fashion brands. Last but not least, Mr Wilson Yip (BA / 2015) is a local designer and founder of Wilsonkaki, a fashion brand that draws inspiration from daily life experiences for its innovative concepts. Wilson’s accolades include being chosen as one of the 10 Asian Designers to Watch 2021, being awarded the Champion and Best Footwear Design Award at YDC 2019, as well as the Manish Arora Award at the 14th International Arts of Fashion Competition in San Francisco, CA. Other members of the judging panel for the various awards and scholarships were (in alphabetical order): Ms Janet Cheung, Vice Chairman, Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association Ms Ale Lau, Chief Designer, Yintak Intex Company Limited Mr Hanks Lee, Director, Corporate Communications & Watsons Brand Marketing, A.S. Watson Group Ms Karen Ng, Secretary, Hong Kong Intimate Apparel Industries' Association Ms Cintia Nunes, General Manager - Head of The Mills Fabrica Asia Ms Brenda Yang, Technical Manager, Flinders Merino Group & The Woolmark Company Ms Dilys Yiu, Director, Fenix Group Holdings Limited The winner of the Overall Grand Award sponsored by Nameson Group was Hana Li with her outstanding work themed “Gentle Transitions: Impressions of Nature ‘s Fleeting Embrace”. She created the collection with a patchwork of different fabrics. The HKIAIA Overall Grand Award winner, sponsored by the Hong Kong Intimate Apparel Industries' Association, was Wingo Chong, with her work created under the theme “Art Tour”. Inspired by how historical European artworks portrayed female bodies with full and round figures, Wingo adds elements of traditional European paintings and exhibition halls to her designs compared to how female bodies are criticised in contemporary society. Through her lingerie collection, she hopes to express the idea of embracing the body and that everyone should appreciate and respect different body shapes. Check out our Facebook page and Instagram page for more photos, or watch the playback of the Show at our YouTube channel!