It’s a double blessing for newly graduated student Cady Lee, who was not only crowned Champion but also scooped the Best Visual Presentation Award in one night at the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2021 (YDC). This has provided a shot in the arm to her fashion journey.
A Year of Harvest
Lee couldn’t hide her excitement during the interview. “I’m really surprised, I almost burst into tears on the podium! As I just graduated this year, I was the winner of the Poly U graduation show, and later on I also won the DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award: Create Smart Young Design Talent Special Award, which is subsidising me to study aboard next year to finish my master course. So, when the news of winning the YDC competition was announced, I felt nothing but astonished.”
The whole competing journey was unforgettable to this young designer. “I encountered a big challenge during the fitting section, which is nearly at the closing stage of the competition. As I played around with the design shapes, lots of experiments were required, but I couldn’t get to an ideal result. I was stressed out. In addition to that, YDC is a large-scale competition, and lots of coordination between models and different working units was required.”
Lee's series attracts our eye with flashy, flamboyant design. The liquefied silhouette and print are her signature, presenting a surreal feeling. After the competition, in addition to preparing for admission next year, she will also launch a handbag series, with design elements that are an extension to her fashion series. She is also creating prints.
Take the game seriously
Finally, Lee has a few words to reflect on this journey. “We should take the competition seriously. Even if you have submitted a portfolio that leaves good impression to the judges, can you manage to finish the series within a short period of time? It’s a very distinct opportunity to have gained the guidance from professional judges. The judges once asked me that how could I sustain the brand as my design tends to be flashy. I reckon this is what every designer needs to think about.”
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