The clothes on the runway were bold and avant-garde, with exaggerated lines and vivid colors that explore the boundaries between the human body and materials. But when the designers themselves appeared at the end of the show, they were youthful students in T-shirts, some still carrying a touch of innocence.
On Sept 5, 38 emerging designers from SFK International Art Education presented their collections at the Central Hall of Beijing's 798 Art District. The showcase, No Defaults, was part of China Fashion Week's official runway program.
The theme carried a message beyond fashion: The human body has no default form, and design should not assume that there is only one kind of user.
"We have always taught them that fashion is a form of art, and that clothes can be a way to express yourself," said Yin Weiwei, one of the teachers who guided the students' work.
3D-printing technology featured prominently in the collections, and students were encouraged to experiment with sustainable and unconventional materials in making their garments.
The show brought together students from different academic backgrounds, whose designs reflected questions beyond fashion.
One student studying sports created a black diving suit to explore whether humans could continue to evolve without the risk of drowning. Another, who studies news and documentary filmmaking, used his design to ask whether police officers — the "everyday superheroes" around us — are really so different from the heroes depicted in comic books.
Other students explored how fashion could accommodate people with physical disabilities, using clothing to wrap, reshape, and express the body in different ways.
For most of the students, it was the first time their designs were worn by professional models and presented on a runway. It was also their first appearance on the main schedule of China Fashion Week.
The runway collections were developed through a summer school program, where the students worked with overseas professors and fashion industry professionals to refine their ideas and prepare their garments for the show.
