News

$300K start-up fund from“Cre8 by AIA” for Minnie Lam

On 30 Nov 2022, alumna Minnie Lam (BA, 2020) shone at the “Cre8 by AIA” Competition in the Design category. Organised by AIA Hong Kong & Macau, the competition attracted over a thousand applications. The star mentors and judges, including Hins Cheung - multi-talented singer-songwriter, and Neo Yau – co-founder of the “Trial & Error” Youtube channel, selected Minnie as the winner from a lineup of very talented individuals. Not only has Minnie received $300,000 from the Cre8 kickstart fund towards her fashion brand, but Rap Chan, Creator of Dustykid – Soul Caring Brand based in Hong Kong, has also personally mentored her.   Minnie established her fashion brand, LAM WING SUM, in 2018 when she was still a student and supported by the fashion business and incubation platform of SFT - STORE by PolyU Fashion, for her B2C and B2B business.  Her design inspirations are mainly based on nature and abstract ideas and colours which promote durable and aesthetic slow fashion.  With the continuous support of SFT, Minnie received the opportunity to embark on an overseas study exchange at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) to enrich her traditional garment making skills and explore the concept of fashion sustainability.   About "Cre8 by AIA" The "Cre8 by AIA" competition is a youth-inspired co-creation programme dedicated to supporting young people to fully unleash their creativity to co-create tomorrow with infinite possibilities. "Cre8 by AIA" provides comprehensive support for young people to fulfill their creative aspirations, creating shared values for society. The programme is designed to support talents in five categories – "Performance Creation", "Design", "Food & Beverage", "Go Green" and "Innovation & Technology". Young people can submit their "Cre8tion" to the applicable category for an opportunity to enter "Cre8 by AIA". Shortlisted cre8tors not only receive mentorships from star mentors and judges, and promotional support from Cre8 for their endeavours but also funds from the Cre8 kickstart funds totaling $2.5 million to pursue their dream career.

Dr Sun Young Choi receives Sandra Hutton Award for Excellence at 2022 ITAA Conference

 Dr Sun Young Choi, Assistant Professor, was recently awarded the Sandra Hutton Award for Excellence in Fiber Arts — Professional Level for her suit set-up titled "Floating World" at the 2022 International Textile and Apparel Association Annual (ITAA) Conference in Denver, USA. There was a very enthusiastic response to the call for design entries. Out of a total of 230 submitted designs, 61 were accepted through a peer-review process with panels of industry experts. The acceptance rate was 39.3% in the professional category. The skills and talent of Dr Choi are truly recognised as the recipient of the award in this category. The design originated from the idea to transfer traditional woodcut printed images of Ukiyo-e (浮世絵), a type of Japanese art from the 17th to the 19th centuries, to garments through modern digital printing techniques. Geometric patterns in a gradual linear style with vivid tones were placed on top of the initial image to create a surrealistic feeling. In addition, a novel means of constructing a jacket was devised in which shirts and jackets are integrated into one piece to highlight the theme of ties between two disparate worlds. By layering various colours and patterns printed on translucent polyester organza, the design achieves a depth effect as well as surrealism with floating material, unlike the real world, where gravity dominates. Dr Choi explains more about her work: “This meaningful study expands the possibilities of digital printing and reinterprets historical and artistic inspired designs to provide new applications in a modern way. The goal is to create a pleasing design and boost the spirit of the wearer. I believe my study will give insights to my fashion design students in considering historical and cultural sources in fashion design development." The following are some of the comments from the jurors on Dr Choi’s work: “The design created and displayed actually speaks beautifully to the title of the work and the concept." "The concept of this piece is very interesting with the exploration of perspective and depth. The finished design is visually effective and represents the concept well." The International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) is a global association composed of scholars, educators and students in the fashion and textiles disciplines in higher education. ITAA promotes the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge and is a primary resource for its members in strengthening leadership and service to society. This year, the annual conference was held in USA from 26 October to 29 October 2022.

SFT scholars ranked among top 2 % of scientists in the world

SFT is proud to announce that 14 of our colleagues are ranked among the world’s top 2% scientists in a global report recently released by Stanford University, 10 of them are listed in the 'Career-Long Impact List' and 13 of them are listed in the 'Single-Year Impact List', this recognize our excellence in research and academia.  The colleagues who are listed among the Top 2% include Profs. Chen Wei, Fan Jintu, Hu Hong, Jiang Shouxiang, Kan Chi-wai, Tao Xiaoming, Wang Xungai, Christina Wong, Calvin Wong, Xin John, Xu Bingang, and Drs Fei Bin, Shou Dahua and Joanne Yip. The science-wide author database is updated in Sep 2022 and is created by using the Scopus database of over 180,000 top scientists in the world based on standardised citation indicators. Scientists are classified into 22 scientific fields and 176 sub-fields. The rankings are calculated based on standardized information of citations, h-index, co-authorship-adjusted hm-index, citations to papers in different authorship positions, and a composite indicator. The following two tables highlight the rankings of SFT scholars in terms of their ‘Career-long Impact Statistics’ and ‘Single Year Impact Statistics’. Our heartiest congratulations to our colleagues on their excellent achievement! Table 1 Career-long Impact Statistics                                             Name of Researcher     Position Subject field Prof. Chen Wei Professor Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Fan Jintu Chair Professor Materials Dr Fei Bin Associate Professor Polymers Prof. Hu Hong Professor Materials Prof. Kan Chi-wai Professor Materials Dr Shou Dahua Assistant Professor Materials Prof. Tao Xiaoming Chair Professor Materials Prof. Wang Xungai   Chair Professor Materials   Prof. Calvin Wong            Professor Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing Prof. Xin John H. Chair Professor Materials Prof. Xu Bingang Professor Materials Table 2 Single-year Impact Statistics Name of Researcher Position Subject field Prof. Chen Wei Professor Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Fan Jintu Chair Professor Materials Dr Fei Bin Associate Professor Polymers Prof. Hu Hong Professor Materials Porf. Jiang Shouxiang Professor Materials Prof. Kan Chi-wai Professor Materials Dr Shou Dahua Assistant Professor Materials Prof. Tao Xiaoming Chair Professor Materials Prof. Wang Xungai Chair Professor Materials Prof. Christina Wong Professor Operations Research Prof. Calvin Wong Professor Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing Prof. Xin John H. Chair Professor Materials Prof. Xu Bingang Professor Materials Dr Yip Joanne Associate Professor Materials  

PolyU Undergraduate Info Day 2022

PolyU Undergraduate Info Day 2022 was successfully held in a hybird format on 8 October 2022. SFT has received over 3000 prospectus students and their teachers and parents, with the support and participation of staff and student ambassadors. The Info Day provides students with the first-hand advice on the SFT’s full-time undergraduate revamped programme – BA (Hons) Scheme in Fashion. A broad range of activities, such as admission seminars, programme seminars, exhibitions, virtual booths, and consultations, were offered to help prospective students making an informed choice about their future academic pursuits at the University. Playback of the info seminar is now available here:

SFT @Fashion Forward GBA 2022

SFT has been going places and was recently at Fashion Forward GBA 2022, organised by the Fashion Farm Foundation (FFF), from March to September 2022. The project comprised four major events, including: FASHION FORCE (Fashion Show) FASHION BOND (Roving Exhibition) FASHION BEAT (Music Night) FASHION DISCOVERY (Event Sharing) The events were held in five cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to showcase the creative strength of the new design force and pave the way for Hong Kong’s new design talents to make their mark in the GBA. Eleven SFT alumni, Chan cho-man (BA, 2021), Chole Chan (BA, 2021), Kunis Chen (BA, 2021), Debbie Choi (BA, 2021), Coco Lam (BA, 2021), Vincent Leung (MA, 2021), Phyllis Ma (BA, 2021), Kin Ng (BA, 2020), Judy Soo (MA, 2021), Bailey Tai (BA, 2021), and Ken Yeung (BA, 2021) were invited to joined the fashion show and exhibitions to showcase their creative designs in different cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Foshan. More than 20 design brands from the Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as six prestigious design schools in the GBA also took part in this exciting undertaking. The project originated from the desire of mainly young creatives from fashion institutions in the GBA to build stronger connections with the fashion industry. The endeavour also gave the unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate innovation and creativity. The project concluded with a sharing session held at Laws Knitters, where our Associate Dean - Dr Joanne Yip and alumna Ms Judy Soo (MA, 2021) were invited to share their valuable event experience and insights into the entire project and the opportunities in the GBA. About the Fashion Farm Foundation The FFF was established in Hong Kong in 2012. The entity consists of a group of enthusiastic senior fashion entrepreneurs and educators. FFF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the development of Hong Kong's fashion industry. FFF held the "HKFG" to give designers the opportunity to showcase their brand collections at overseas fashion weeks. So far, they have covered Paris, New York, Tokyo and other important cities in the fashion industry. In recent years, they have been actively exploring opportunities in the GBA for Hong Kong fashion designers .

Dr Di Fan recipient of Honorable Mention for Reviewer Service Award 2022 (Journal of Operations Management)

Congratulations to Dr Di Fan, who was recently recognized by the Journal of Operations Management (JOM) for his excellent service as a reviewer and contribution to the journal. The selection is based on 2021 data for number of reviews, reviewer ratings, and timeliness. The Editors-in-Chief conducted a further evaluation of the reviewers based on quality, insight, and developmental tone. Dr Fan serves as a member of the editorial review board of JOM. He is also guest editing a special issue, titled “Global Operations and Supply Chain Management in the Context of Dynamic International Relations”, for the JOM. About the Journal of Operations Management The Journal of Operations Management is a flagship journal in the field of operations and supply chain management. It has been ranked top in major business journal lists, including the University of Texas-Dallas list (UTD list), Financial Times Research Rank list (FT-50 list), United Kingdom’s Association of Business School list (4* in ABS list), and Australian Business Deans Council (A* in the ABDC list).

Prof. Kan Chi-wai and Dr Chris Lo receive Outstanding Caring Award and Best CSV Award

We are pleased to congratulate Prof. Kan Chi-wai and Dr Chris Lo who recently received the “Outstanding Caring  Award” and “Best Create Shared Value Award” for their start-up company, Immune Materials Limited, at the Industry Cares Recognition Scheme 2022. This event was organised by The Committee on Promoting Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR Committee”) under the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI) on 27 September. The awards recognise the contributions and momentous efforts of Prof. Kan and Dr Lo in fulfilling and promoting social responsibility.  Prof. Kan and Dr Lo co-founded Immune Materials Limited in 2021.  With the support of PolyU, they have developed antiviral and antibacterial plastic products through 3D-printing and other traditional means of processing.  Their clients include hospitals, real estate developers, malls and governmental organisations. About Industry Cares Recognition Scheme 2022 The FHKI established the CSR Committee in 2011 to advocate for CSR and encourage their members to pursue CSR. The committee first organised the Industry Cares Recognition Scheme in 2013 to recognise companies that bring good benefits to society and support more companies to realise CSR. This year, the theme is ‘Walk through the pandemic with mutual inclusion and encouragement’ which attracted the participation of 112 companies under the Enterprise and SME Groups. As an accredited event in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the HKSAR, the Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Ho Kai-ming, JP attended the event as the guest of honour. There are two categories in the Industry Cares Scheme to recognise companies with outstanding CSR performance: the Enterprise and SME Groups. Six awards are granted for each category, including: The Grand Award Outstanding Caring Awards The Most Devoted Award The Most Innovative Award The Best CSV Award The Best Social Impact Award

Vicky Tsang and Lorraine Tam walk away with 3 awards @YDC 2022

On 11 Sept 2022, the creativity of one of our graduating students and an alumna bagged them with three awards at the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) 2022, one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the region. The champion is our BA graduating student, Tsang On-ting Vicky (BA, 2022). Vicky, a Design major, received a cash prize of HK$60,000 and an overseas study trip. Vicky is also the Overall Winner of the PolyU Fashion Show 2022. Her collection, “EXHAUSTING A CROWD”, used 3D prints to illustrate a surrealist aesthetic. Vicky said, “I am very surprised and happy to be named Champion! Even though there were a lot of setbacks during the entire design process, I came to the show today feeling calm and composed. Thank you to all the staff who provided their support over the past two months.” Another winner, Tam Lok-yi Lorraine (MA, 2020) won the Excellence Award and Best Visual Presentation Award. She received a total of HK$50,000 in cash from both awards and also an overseas study trip. Her design “I AM NOT INFECTED” is full of colours, especially the infrared sweatshirt and the “lung”-shaped crossbody bag. The “lung bag” also plays tribute to the popular mini bag trend. The judging panel for this year’s YDC was made up of an impressive roster of fashion experts and media pundits. The chief judge was Ms Katherine Fang, Chairlady of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee. The other judges on the panel were: Mr Hideaki Shikama (VIP judge), Designer of Children of the Discordance Ms Ahy Choi, Deputy Editorial Director of VOGUE Hong Kong Mr Jonathan Lee, APAC Wholesale Director of Ryodan Showroom Mr Jimmy Chan, Head of Account Management APAC of FARFETCH Ms Constance Lee, Director and Fashion Stylist of ConStyle Ltd Mr Joe Li, Creative Consultant of Circularity Ambassador (Photo source: Hong Kong Trade Development Council) Congratulations to Vicky and Lorraine! Recap of the show: 

Knitwear students wow visitors at ‘Knit Innovation Tech Show 2022’

The ‘Knit Innovation Tech Show 2022 - KNITogether’ organised by the Consinee Group and SHIMA SEIKI was held successfully on 23rd – 26th August. The event showcased the yarn trends for Fall Winter 2023-24 and featured fashion sustainability in knitwear. The organisation initiated the collaborative upcycling project with the School of Fashion and Textiles (SFT) and invited the knitwear students to design swatches and knitted outfits by reusing the knitted fabric samples that they provided. The creative works of the students were displayed in the show room at the Consinee Group, where visitors are mainly knitwear industrialists. The collaborative project first kicked off in early June. The Consinee Group visited SFT to present their latest fall/winter collection and the yarn trends, which featured 37 shades of botanical cashmere. Then the students visited the Consinee Group to select the materials for the upcycling design project. They were free to design and knit fabric swatches with the yarns provided by Consinee or convert the knitted fabrics into sustainable fashion products. The design and production process took about 2 months. The best five works by the students were selected by Consinee and showcased in the tech show, which demonstrated creative stitching with artistic embellishments, contemporary designs and combinations of vivid colours. Their works thoroughly embodied creativity and sustainability in knitwear at the same time. The selected students will receive yarn sponsorship from Consinee for their final year project in the coming year. About the Consinee Group Founded in 1999, the Consinee Group is the largest manufacturer and exporter of high-end cashmere yarn in China. They have an advanced green manufacturing industry chain base, which involves dyeing, spinning different kinds of yarns, producing high quality fabrics, import-export trading, digital logistics, intelligent manufacturing and an information platform. They are the only large-scale spinning company in China that completely uses new and imported automatic production lines. About SHIMA SEIKI More than 60 years after its establishment, SHIMA SEIKI is highly regarded as a top manufacturer of computerised flat knitting machines and design systems. The company contributes to the growth of the fashion industry through their widely-adopted creative technologies and innovations.

Professor Raymond Wong conferred Clarea Au Endowed Professorship in Energy

The Fourth Inauguration of Endowed Professorships cum the First Inauguration of Endowed Young Scholars was held on 31 Aug 2022 to pay tribute to distinguished scholars for their outstanding academic and research achievements, and demonstrate community support and recognition to PolyU for its research excellence. Prof. Raymond Wong, Interim Dean of SFT, was conferred the Clarea Au Endowed Professorship in Energy. Prof. Wong is devoted to the development of advanced materials for enhanced energy uses and tells us that “The Endowed Professorship will further strengthen my research in developing new molecular and nano materials for energy conversion (light/electrical and thermal/electrical)”. Prof. Wong is currently Chair Professor of Chemical Technology in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Dean of the Faculty of Science at PolyU. Prof. Wong is very interested in the design and synthesis of new molecular functional materials, and metallopolymers with photo functional properties and energy functions. The scope of his work ranges from innovative research to application studies. At present, his team is working on sustainable energy sources and improving energy conversion technologies to meet future global energy demands and work towards a cleaner environment. Prof. Wong has published more than 700 research papers in leading international scientific journals and is among the world’s top 1% on the Institute for Scientific Information list of most-cited chemists and materials scientists. He was named a Thomson Reuters (now Clarivate Analytics) Highly Cited Researcher for seven consecutive years (2014–2020). Prof. Wong was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in 2005 and a Founding Member of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences. He is the first Chinese scientist presented with the RSC Chemistry of the Transition Metals Award, and subsequently decorated with countless international and national awards. He also received the Croucher Senior Research Fellowship, Natural Science Award (First Class) of the Ministry of Education, FACS Distinguished Young Chemist Award, JPA Lectureship Award for Asian and Oceanian Photochemistry, Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Prize for Scientific and Technological Innovation, State Natural Science Award (Second Class), and Research Grants Council (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Award, among others. Congratulations Prof. Wong.