1 Aug 2003
2003 Footwear Design Competition(HKTDC Fashion - Footwear, Vol 02,2003)
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Vol 2, 2003
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2003 Footwear Design Competition |
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2003 Footwear Design Competition
Flair Display
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| Grand Champion and Children's Award winner Yeung Sau Heung proudly displays her trophy while a young fan presents the winning watermelon design |
A platform to fame and success, the Hong Kong Footwear Design Competition is playing a pivotal role in motivating budding designers to flaunt their flair for design.
"The annual event has successfully put a group of innovative yet practical design talents at the centre stage of the industry, serving as a prominent source of new creativity for footwear manufacturers," says Tang Yiu, chairman of the competition organising committee.
He believes the government should set up a footwear design centre to help nurture more young designers. "The younger generation needs proper training and development programmes to bring out the best in them," Tang maintains. "In the long run, it will enhance Hong Kong's capability in footwear design and boost our export competitiveness in markets worldwide."
Hong Kong ranked third in the world for total footwear exports last year, behind Italy and the Chinese mainland, exporting more than 800,000 pairs of shoes worth US$5.76bn.
The industry is certainly in good hands judging by the 2003 Footwear Design
Competition, which was organised by
the Hong Kong Leather Shoe and Shoe Material Merchants Assn Ltd and Hong Kong
Rubber and Footwear Mfrs' Assn.
Co-organised and sponsored by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, together with a number of tertiary institutions, industry associations and corporations, this year's competition attracted more than 300 entrants.
They produced several highly creative pieces that, according to the judging panel, excelled in every aspect from concept to fashion aesthetic and ease of production.
For example Yeung Sau Heung's winning design, entitled "Watermelon", utilises the mouthwatering summer delight to attract kids' attention. The eye-catching shoes won her both the children's shoes category and the award for grand champion.
"I draw most of my inspiration from daily experiences," explains Yeung. "A juicy watermelon inspired me to come up with this design that is very much related to children's products."
Apart from whimsical ideas, Yeung is also attentive to detail. "Kids are always full of energy, so a PRT insole is added to the shoes to absorb the jolt of walking on hard surfaces," she notes.
Fellow double winner Alex Ng (winner in the ladies' dress category and the Joy & Peace award for creativity) owes his inspiration to Hong Kong's cultural history.
"The Hakka clan was one of the major ethnic groups in early Hong Kong, with the women's rattan headgear with cotton linen being a notable feature," says Ng, who ingeniously mixed rattan with black velvet and chiffon to create a Hakka-inspired sexy ladies' boot.
While Ng is enthusiastic about history, ladies' casual section winner Lam Wing Yee journeyed further afield to the mythical world. "I'm interested in both Chinese and Western myths, and the mythical phoenix created a strong impression on me."
The phoenix is said to live for several hundred years before burning and then
rising, born again from its ashes. "It was this tremendous spirit that
ignited my participation for the second time," states Lam, who was in the
final round of last year's competition. Her "Phoenix" creation
took just four days to complete from sketches to material sourcing.
Equally creative is consumer electronics product designer and men's category winner, Li Kwong Wing. His winning entry, entitled "Layer Walkamate", is equipped with movable straps to convert into different styles.
"Some people like to change their shoes for slippers when they are in the office and that's where I got my idea," explains Li. "By adjusting the straps, you can change this pair of shoes into sandals or loose-fitting shoes. I want it to be flexible and provide comfort."
Antique car designs inspired Chen Xiao Peng to create "Automobile", which won the sports category. "I think shoes and automobiles serve the same purpose in that they carry people around," he explains. "My inspiration came from the heavy and round appearance of old-style automobiles, and the finished product is a caricature of the vintage look."
Chen believes it is "quite difficult" to illustrate the line and shape of the automobile in a simple, modern way. "The making of the silver layer is particularly difficult because it is very thin and requires exquisite technique," he adds.
First runner-up in the same category Lam Si Man believes the competition - and her design entitled "The Spider" that was born last Halloween - has given her career a definite boost.
A final year design student at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, Lam already has the choice of two jobs after graduation, proving yet again that the Hong Kong Footwear Design competition is helping the entire industry put its best foot forward.
WRITTEN BY VANAPA ONGVISES
2003 Hong Kong Footwear
Design Competition
Winning Designs
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