YDC Footwear Design Award-winning Creation Launched
20 March 2017 – The winning design of the YDC ”Best Footwear Design Award” was launched today, with the limited edition creation by Gim Wong available while stocks last at select ete! And i.t stores. For the second year running, i.t apparels has sponsored the ‘Best Footwear Design Award,’ by manufacturing the award-winning design with its subsidiary, Puzzle, and retailing them. The brand aims to help budding talents to realise their dream of becoming full-fledged fashion designers and help raise their profile.
At today’s product launch, the HKTDC invited Hong Kong Olympic athlete Stephanie Au and the daughter of supermodel Janet Ma, Kayla Wong, to model the limited-edition boots. The backpacker culture served as inspiration for Gim, while on an exchange programme visit to England and Sweden. Through her designs, Gim, who was named second runner-up at YDC 2016, wants to encourage modern cosmopolitans to grab their backpacks and experience the wonders of travelling. Using backpacker’s most valuable companion, maps, as the spine of her designs, the ‘Backpacker’ women’s collection features a blue, white and grey colour palette to create elegant outdoor pieces filled with motion and functionality. Part of the Backpacker Collection is a leather boot that took the award for the ‘Best Footwear Design’ with its radiating style. Gim designed the footwear with a black-and-white theme, combining a thick sneaker sole with climbing ropes for laces. Finished with black leather straps and buckles, the award-winning footwear beautifully meshes together different elements. Through these small details, the designer seeks to convey the unique characteristics of people from different styles of fashion.
The HKTDC launched the ‘Best Footwear Design Award’ in YDC 2015, and for the second consecutive year, i.t apparels Ltd has sponsored the awards, in recognition of designers’ passion for footwear design. The works are judged for creativity, originality, market potential, craftsmanship, materials and overall visual effect.
ete! X YDC ‘Best Footwear Design Award’ Ltd Edition Leather Boots will be available at ete! and i.t stores below, starting today (20 March ):
<<ete!>>
THE ONE・Langham Place・APM
<<i.t>>
Silvercord・Festival Walk・New Town Plaza Phase 1・APM
ete! X YDC ‘Best Footwear Design Award’ Limited Edition Leather Boots (HK$999)
About Gim Wong
A graduate of the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), Gim Wong is a third-year student of Nottingham Trent University, majoring in fashion design. Gim is the winner of the “Best Footwear Design Award” and was Second Runner-up at the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2016. She also received the “Best Contemporary Award” from the Graduate Show of HKDI and DFA Hong Kong’s “Create Smart Young Design Talent Special Award” last year. The “Backpackers” collection is an elegant combination of style and functionality. Using backpackers’ essential companion, maps, as a blueprint, the collection features a blue, white and grey colour palette. Each piece from the collection is made from one piece of fabric, creating a seamless piece that also abides by the rule of minimal wastage. Intricately designed zippers, leather straps and buckles, give the designs a unique form that still retains functionality. The collection is designed for outdoor wear, using thermal and waterproof materials such as wool and nylon. Gim Wong’s Backpacker collection won the ‘Best Footwear Design Award’ in YDC 2016. She intends to continue pursuing a career in fashion design to gain a wider audience. As one of the fashion industries’ leading competitions, Gim said that winning a YDC award served as a greatly confidence booster. She urges young designers to participate in competitions to gain more experience.
About the “Hong Kong Young Designers’ Contest” (YDC)
Organised since 1977, the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) aims to cultivate and promote a new generation of fashion design talents for the local garment and fashion industry, whose ideas will further enhance the image of Hong Kong as a fashion design centre.
Today, Hong Kong has become a thriving hub for design and branded labels, and the role of the YDC in identifying talent is more relevant than ever. The contest has become the most prestigious event of its kind in the region. Its success is evident by the number of past contestants who have gone on to become leading designers for fashion enterprises or launch their own labels.
Calls for entry for YDC 2017. Online application is available at www.FASHIONALLY.com. Deadline for application is 10 April, 2017.
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The winning design of the YDC ”Best Footwear Design Award” is launched today (20 March), with the limited edition creation by Gim Wong available while stocks last at select ete! And i.t stores. At today’s product launch, Olympic athlete Stephanie Au and the daughter of supermodel Janet Ma, Kayla Wong, modeled the limited-edition boots |
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The ete! X YDC “Best Footwear Design Award” Limited Edition Leather Boots’ is available starting today (20 March ) at select ete! and i.t stores. Price: HK$999
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The result of the HKTDC’s YDC was announced last September. For two consecutive years, i.t apparels Limited has sponsored the awards, recognising designers’ passion for footwear and accessories design. This year’s award went to Gim Wong for her ‘Backpacker’ Collection. |
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With her ‘Backpacker’ Women’s Collection, Gim was named second runner-up at YDC 2016 and received the ‘Best Footwear and Accessory Award’. |
Related Website：
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Media Enquiries:
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Agnes Wat Tel：2584 4554 Email：agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org
Sam Ho Tel：2584 4569 Email：sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org
Six Degrees PR
Rachel Yip Tel.：9678 1981 Email：rachel@sixdegrees.com.hk
Janis Li Tel.：5193 1131 Email：janis@sixdegrees.com.hk
About FASHIONALLY.com
Powered by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), FASHIONALLY.com is the one and only platform to feature Hong Kong fashion design. This non-profit website connects young local designers, showcasing their works through feature stories, blogs, fashion map and news about the Hong Kong Yong Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC).
About the HKTDC
A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.