FJU Talents is an annual platform showcasing emerging designers from Taiwan, sponsored by the College of Fashion and Textiles of Fu Jen Catholic University (FJU), a leading fashion and textile design education institute based in Taiwan. FJU Talents supports and nurtures the institute's talented alumni in the global fashion scene. This year, the show spotlighted four incredible emerging designer, along with a dynamic 10-look group show from the FJU Department of Textiles and Clothing. Chiang Wen Hsuan's ‘8c’ collection brought a refreshing take on contemporary fashion, featuring an intriguing blend of metallic elements, silver accents and daring sheer fabrics. Chiang Wen Hsuanis a graduate of Fu Jen Catholic University's Textile Design department. Sheseamlessly explores the realms of human psychology and biological transformations, weaving herunique perspective into her designs through the artful use of knitting, metallic accents, andfeminine silhouettes Allison Tsoi's ‘Allisonforsure’ collection featured unconventional cuts and silhouettes, playing with layers, dimensions, and cut-outs in a striking palette of blues and black. Allison Tsoi, a MA student at Fu Jen Catholic University's College of Fashion and Textiles,ingeniously harnesses the power of knitwear, crafting intricate patterns that symbolize the coreessence of her creative concepts. Tsoi’s SS24 collection ingeniously explores technology,individualism, and community, using optical illusions in her knitwear designs to symbolize themerging of virtual and real worlds Chen You Chen's ‘97.00005’ collection played with precision cuts, striking finishes and statement outerwear. Chen You Chen, a Fu Jen Catholic University Textile and Clothing Department graduate,passionately weaves the intricate interplay between individuals and the external world. Shemeticulously deconstructs and harmonizes elements layer by layer, resulting in garments withunique andunconventional tailoring. Chen Yi Xuan’s ‘Moo’ all-black collection crafted bold leather, intricate cuts, structured-designs and innovative silhouettes, including signature commanding bold shoulders. Chen Yi Xuan, a Fu Jen Catholic University BA Fashion Design graduate, explores life's interconnections, seeking its fundamental essence, attempting to locate life's edges, exploring its myriad possibilities, all the while driven by an endless wellspring of vitality. This is showcased in her latest collection exploring the ambivalence of human symmetrical unity.

On the 16th of October we witnessed the final of the Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition 2023, hosted at the Museo Nazionale Sciencze e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in Milan, the judges jointly awarded the overall winner title to Tamar Elbaz of Shenkar College, and Ana Del Rio Mullarkey of De Montford University. Real Leather. Stay Different. is a global campaign that has reached some 750 million people and hundreds of thousands of students. It makes the case for leather (and other natural materials) and for making the best use of society’s waste, particularly the hides that are the by-products of the dairy and meat industries, before looking to the petrochemical industries for manmade materials. Flexible and durable, leather is the natural alternative to fast fashion. Judge Christopher Koerber, Managing Director, HUGO BOSS Ticino, commented: "The designers of tomorrow bear the responsibility to lead the fashion world towards sustainability while still captivating audiences with innovative designs. Today, we saw that future come to life with two entries that stood-out. Both Tamar and Ana’s work exemplified this ideal, showcasing a harmonious blend of sustainability and creativity." Tamar Elbaz, a third-year Fashion Design student at Shenkar College of Design, Engineering and Art, in Tel Aviv, was recognised for ‘WHIM', inspired by Jean Hans Arp's 'Human Concretion’. It explores biomorphic themes, embodying rounded silhouettes and non-amorphic features. The project echoes Arp's sculpting style, transcending boundaries and evoking surrealism in the viewer. Ana Del Rio Mullarkey, a recent graduate in Fashion Design BA (Hons) from De Montfort University, was recognised for ‘El Domingo’ which offered the judges an outstanding hand-crafted design drawing inspiration from her Madrid upbringing. She presented a vision for the future of leather - delivering singular pieces that last, and are loved, for a lifetime and more. Celebrating the joint Award, Tamar commented: “I'm deeply honoured to receive this award with Ana. It recognises my dedication to sustainable design and my passion for authentic, sculpted materials like leather. This competition has not only provided recognition but also real learnings about the beauty and potential of natural materials." Ana added: “I am so happy that the people voted for me and that the judges recognised my enthusiasm for developing a more sustainable fashion future - and my absolute passion for using craft and innovation to create those items that people want, love and cherish – for a lifetime or more. It is a huge thrill to be awarded this prize with Tamar. Hopefully this marks the start of a leather revolution.” The award was presented by Carlo Capasa, President of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion. Co-Chair of the Judges and Vice President of Wolverine Worldwide, Kerry Brozyna, commented: "It's imperative we continually reassess our material choices and production methods. With leather a by-product of the food industry, the decision becomes clear. As we tap into land resources for sustenance, it's our duty to utilise the by-products efficiently. Before resorting to fossil fuel derivatives, the focus should be on natural, enduring and eco-friendly materials." The awards, held with Lineapelle, UNIC, Arts Thread and the Institute of Digital Fashion featured four finalists, each an individual category winner - Tamar Elbaz (apparel winner, Shenkar College of Design, Engineering, and Art); Alida Xavier (accessories winner, Instituto Marangoni); Sara Veneziano (footwear winner, Accademia Costume & Moda) and Ana Del Rio Mullarkey (Peoples’ Choice. De Montfort University). They competed head-to-head with presentations and panel interviews to be crowned the overall international winner. The full judging panel comprised Christopher Koerber, Managing Director, HUGO BOSS Ticini; Paola Arosio, Head of New Brands & Sustainability Projects at Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana; Gal Benjamin, the 2022 RLSD international winner; Leanne Elliott Young and Cattytay, Co-Founders of the Institute of Digital Fashion and Mike Adler, Style & Fashion Director.

UTOPIA_DYSTOPIA Show notes Utopia is a perfectly organised rational society, where no war exists, but piece and complete harmony of interests. The Meta Verse is an augmented reality, built by humans to recreate the real world, but in a perfect way. The moment we live in is a reflection of Dystopia. The human wants to arrive in Utopia, but it never could. In the attempt to reach Utopia, it has built a digital world disconnected from the reality of imperfection and confusion. The new BRVN collection in usual fashion is inspired by the military aesthetic of the brand, envisioned through the lens of streetwear.

The Dior brand is no stranger to attracting some of the biggest celebrity stars around the world and dressing them up in their custom and haute couture outfits.The SS24 collection was no different and as such, the celebrities alone deserve a separate article so we can go through what they are all wearing. To read our thoughts on the SS24 collection at Dior with Maria Grazia Chiuri, click here. Jisoo wore a Dior Spring-Summer 2024 black wool suit-dress with a Dior bag and shoes. Jenna Ortega wore a Dior Winter 2023-2023 blue cotton jacket and skirt with a black knit top and bra. She also wore a Dior bag, jewels and shoes. She wore ROSE DES VENTS necklaces, earrings and rings in white gold and onyx, pink gold and mother-of-pearls & diamonds of Dior Joaillerie. Anya Taylor-Joy wore a Dior black patent leather jacket with black wool and silk shorts. Jennifer Lawrence wore a Dior Cruise 2024 white cotton shirt with a black velvet skirt. Rosalia wore a Dior Spring-Summer 2024 white cotton shirt with a black wool and silk dress. She also wore Dior shoes. APO wore a Dior Winter 2023-2024 men’s collection black wool cardigan jacket, a black silk muslin tank top with belt, black silk kilted shorts, black CD diamond embroidered socks and black leather rainboots.

The new ready-to-wear collection at Dior was dreamed up by the creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri, starting from a reflection on the meaning of the present, in which both past and future must coexist simultaneously. In this collection, as in previous ones, Maria Grazia Chiuri, explores the relationship between femininity and feminism, driven by the conviction that fashion has, more than ever, a responsibility to help women realise their worth and express their differences. She is therefore interested in all the rebels who have asserted their independence in the face of a masculine world and challenged its system. Throughout the show we are presented with references from the early Dior womenswear days, straight back to Christian Dior’s iconic bar jacket from the “New Look”, reinvisioned featuring bold buttons, a slightly oversized look cinched at the waist with a belt, wide shoulders, almost taking inspiration from male military looks to further solidify her idea. Scattered throughout the collection are inspirations from the famous Galliano era at the house, especially recognisable in the off shoulder dresses, some of the jewellery, and even shoes. The colour palette is limited, predominantly featuring colours of ash, chamomile and the colour of what is called love potions in the show notes.The Mille-fleurs, emblematic of Dior, is transformed into a dark motif, a contrasting floral X-ray. Phases of the moon, suns announcing the seasons, medicinal herbs and fantastical animals are all part of this iconic design, and of the embroidery also at times. The monumental, immersive NOT HER art piece, by Elena Bellantoni, perpetuates this refusal of all the clichés that confine women to predefined categories. The video installation, occupying all the walls of the show’s scenography, uses the analog split-flap device: we see a succession of female figures (including the artist herself) reworked by Elena Bellantoni, in a pop spirit, using imagery from sexist adverts and counterpoint phrases to respond to the dominant stereotype: "it’s not her, she’s no longer all that” . This new collection thus restores the idea that the body/clothing relationship is set in the context of the times and not in the time of one day or nostalgia.

The Algorithmic Modular System (1) is comprised of base layers (10), components (100) and extra components (1000). These numeric values draw inspiration from Tao Te Ching, written by Laozi, the founder of Taoism. In the 42nd chapter it says "Tao breeds one, one breeds two, two breeds three, and three breeds everything". In this ancient philosophy, Taozi explains how everything in the world is formed, from nothing to one, from one to many. The Algorithmic Modular System [AMS], created by JE Cai, follows the same ideology. From one system it breeds infinite possibilities. To assemble your products, attach and detach Basics (10), Components (100) or Extra Components (1000) by using the fastening mechanisms located on the connecting points. From zippers to buttons, these fastening mechanisms are elegant in design and allow you to personalise your own uniform. After introducing the foundation structure of the brand’s Algorithmic Modular System (AMS), This season's developments further explore the possibilities of various component parts, introducing new detachable functions. The addition of a lighter colour palette and softer, more casual shapes and draping, is a notable movement, effecting a sense of balance in the collection as a whole, while maintaining the brand’s signature uniformity and playing with existing contradictions in the system. This collection is about collating and developing signature components as focal points. Experimental and rebellious in its nature, JE Cai is tailored for the modern intellectual. Jiean worked on this collection with a clear vision of the JE Cai woman and the different stages of her day in mind. Producing interchangeable uniform components that comprise of buildable look, the brand’s intention is to take the wearer from day into night.