Fashion ideas from Hong Kong Polytechnic University students came to life as their creations were paraded down a makeshift catwalk for all their peers to see. The year-end event showcased 40 designs from Diploma Two Design students. Their clothes did not look like garments normally found in stores or in the pages of a fashion magazine. The outfits, from crisp costumes to soft, flouncy dresses, stemmed from a project in which students attempted to convey emotions through unusual means. So while some outfits elicited sounds of obvious delight from the crowd, others evoked laughter. 'We don't even teach them how to sew at this point,' said fashion lecturer Lester Lim. 'We want them to experiment and be as creative as they want to be. Once they start thinking about marketing and mass production, things get complicated. So we want them to have fun for now,' he said. One of the more bizarre outfits was designed by Sara Law Mei-yee. Using nuclear war as her inspiration, she created a dark, disturbing design that made the model look disfigured, with an extra-long arm and a hand that extended to the knee. 'For my design, I used distortion to emphasise a mood. After a war, there is distortion and decay, and that makes you uneasy,' Yee said. 'I also used burnt-coloured fabric that appeared wrinkled, like decayed skin.' Alison Lee Pui-yan went for a more pleasant feeling. One of her designs was a soft, draped dress and hood made from yellow and orange chiffon. 'I wanted to convey a mood of tranquility,' she said. 'I wanted to take the nature of tranquility and simplicity and transform the idea into a comfortable garment.' Other designs included a hooded cape that covered the chest but draped to the knees in the back, and a vinyl white dress with pockets so large they jutted off the body. Among the more unusual designs was a velvet victorian-style dress, partly made with peacock feathers, and a hooded, ankle-length outfit so tight the model had to jump rather than walk down the aisle. 'We're dealing with the construction of forms and how they can be created around the body,' Mr Lim said. 'They're not doing wearable fashion at this point.' Fashion is only one area that design students explore. Others include graphic design, photography, industrial design and interior design. Those granted their diplomas are now waiting to enter the three-year bachelor's degree programme. Some students were presented with awards before the catwalk show. They were: Ko Man Ho for graphic design; Vicky Lai Chun-wing for photography; Sena Sze Suk-man for fashion design, Tsang Chor-hung for industrial design, and Gilles Zhan Siu-zheung for interior design.
