‘Confrontation in relationships suffocates me.’

The discomfort and unease caused by conflicts in every relationship often instil fear and resistance. How should we face and handle them?

This sense of suffocation prompted final year student Victor Lee to contemplate the dynamics between people in relationships, seeking to explore the intangible interpersonal distances that exist within them. Through his creations, he delves into different levels of intimacy in relationships, the shifts of dynamics and the tension experienced during the ebb and flow. His work primarily utilises mix-and-match materials, patterns formed by layering images in different states and the transformation of forms derived from intimate relationships into silhouettes. It offers an experience of the abstract and ambiguous nature of human connections.

‘Embrace all aspects of beauty, including fragility.’

In today's society, which often celebrates the fast-paced culture of living in the present, old clothes are often only destined for landfill. Could fashion have a more sustainable future if we embrace neglected folk crafts and discarded beautiful materials?

Born in Hong Kong with a master's degree in menswear design obtained in the University of Westminster, Jesse Lee has unique ideas about fashion, sustainability and the potential of upcycling. His creative core is to reinterpret masculinity by breaking gender stereotypes, integrating traditional craftsmanship and modern technologies while utilising recycled materials and technological innovations to propel fashion towards sustainability. Eco-friendly materials such as old clothes from family and friends, recycled cotton denim and repurposed food packaging are combined with 3D printing technology to promote sustainable fashion, enabling creativity and environmental consciousness to go hand in hand.

‘Embrace this absurd yet warm world. Accept and learn everything it has to offer.’

Is catching your breath in a quiet space the only thing someone can do when feeling low? Once you absorb your coexistence with your body, observe your own thoughts and emotions and realise the spirituality of your inner subconsciousness, you’ll find the best weapon to confront this problematic world - accept and embrace.

Elfa Choy, an online shop owner and fashion producer, is emotionally sensitive. Having experienced different stages of growth along with the suppressive sentiments towards gender in the society, she realised that people have to know, understand and rebel against themselves instead of letting the ‘her’ become who she thinks she ought to be. The collection’s core colour is indigo blue, a colour that’s inspired many designers before her. The colour embodying heart, body and soul is turned into the light of dawn to face the world. It enables her to learn the way to observe, detach and soothe her emotions and contemplate her identity and values.

‘I encourage others to be bold and rebel, to truly embrace ourselves and face the world and obstacles with an unapologetic attitude.’

Cognitive inertia is inevitably full of blind spots and prejudices, which easily tricks us into mistaking imagination as reality by omitting the inner side of each individual. The devilfish, or manta ray, is often associated with rebellion, but is also a symbol of hope, courage and kindness. The movement as the manta gracefully flip their wings and emerge from the depths of the ocean inspired the designer’s collection.

A graduate of Istituto Marangoni London in menswear design, Ian Chang has expertise in creating ultimate oversize street-glam garments with luxury fabric sourced from London. He believes that the fear of rebellion, blind conformity and avoidance of self-awareness deprive us of the potential for innovation and change. The behaviour of manta and the humanised characteristics among species prompted him to reflect and retrace the dynamics of human interaction, the reciprocation and choices in various relationships and the approaches to face the outside world and others’ first impressions of oneself.

‘What would have happened if human evolution had gone down the path of insects?’

Humans are naturally unable to go through the four phases of metamorphosis like insects do - egg, larva, pupa and adult. Metamorphosis, also known as metamorphic phenomena, refers to the adaptation to ever-changing environments by adopting different life forms for survival.

Graduated from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia two years ago, designer Jason Ying has been working for a year to perfect his skills in pattern marking and sewing. He is obsessed with structure and form, and has incorporated his curiosity for deconstruction and metamorphosis into his creations. In his exploration and imagination of the differences between humans and other species, he attempts to construct the diversity of evolution by using silhouettes, detailed joints and colours.

‘Appropriate tailoring, colours and fabrics become a form of confidence, and that is Defend.’

Men's attire in the Middle Ages shared common features. Even though the clothing tended to be loose and wide-sleeved, it faintly displayed a sense of femininity while retaining the masculine facial features, showcasing a powerful and muscular strength. This fusion of yin and yang, balance and the amalgamation of masculine appearance and style align with the designer's vision and definition of modern menswear.

With several years’ experience working at a uniform company and interning at the local designer brand Karmuel Young, Mason Wong is well-versed in tailoring and fabric processing. Through this collection, he aims to convey his feelings about dressing and encourage people to break free from the trend of gender ambiguity by finding outfits that truly suit them. The designer deliberately combines altered and adjoined materials, delicate tailoring and references from armour to interpret his perception of the grandeur, confidence and harmonious balance of strength and softness in male aesthetics.

' My mother holds a very important place in my life.’

When was the last time you spent quality time with your mother? Mother is the most powerful and touching word in the world. She brings us life, embodies the image of a strong woman and represents selfless love and devotion.

Fashion designer Johnson Chong constantly reflects on and cherishes the time spent with his mother as he grew up and expresses his love for her through his creations. These pieces are not functional outdoor clothing as one might imagine, but reflect his personal experiences and memories, which are projected on the design details and fabric choices. They showcase the inseparable emotional bond between mother and child while highlighting the joy of motherhood.

‘The greatest attraction does not come from appearance but sincerity.’

Tiger Chung, who graduated last year from the Hong Kong Design Institute, is fond of art. He is particularly moved by the simplicity and sincerity depicted in paintings portraying the Tibetan people. He is also interested in observing society. The designer often uses romantic stories to satirise the ugliness behind the fashion world, revealing the superficiality of modern societal values and the lack of creativity in the industry.

His collection sheds light on the mystic aura of the East and the Tibetan religion. Inspired by the traditional Chinese ghost story ‘The Painted Skin’, the designer has combined traditional craftsmanship with sustainable fashion techniques such as using processed animal bones and buttons made with clay in embroidery. It presents an anti-fashion aesthetic, going against the opulence and elegance of mainstream fashion.

‘The 8th Experiment is my ideal future.’

If you believe in evolution, the origin of homo sapiens is a matter of biodiversity and mutation. But what if there is a recorded exchange between humans and aliens which proves that the former is merely an experimental object of the latter? How would you rethink the history of the Earth, the origin of humans, cosmic civilisations and the future?

We may not be able to find out the truth, or everything is a hypothesis. ‘Survival of the fittest’ is not a motto that Ming concurs. The final year student has created an experimental work bridging past and present. Fashion is his way of proving that the unknown aliens in the past and advanced technologies of the present are not mutually exclusive, while the future will continue to witness human progress.

‘I believe the shapes, colours and scents of flowers can be transformed into menswear.’

Through the reflection from the river, Narcissus saw himself for the first time and fell deeply in love with his own beauty. He could not look away, until he drowned by accident and turned into a flower named after him. The affection and obsession towards beauty represented in this Greek mythology has undergone the test of time and truth and become a bridge connecting the world.

Putting his years of experience to good use, Wayne Lo, designer of the knitting brand, has narrated Narcissus’ encounters through various knitting techniques and rich colours and demonstrated how versatility and plasticity are not qualities unique to weaving alone.