Kuching: There really are no boundaries to creativity, as was proven during the ‘Tribal Fashion Fest 2009’ fashion competition organized by The Spring recently.

Aspiring student designers from the Fashion & Apparel Design program at Limkokwing won the first and third prizes with their take on traditional designs, infusing them with contemporary elements, and creating a fresh, new brand of ethnic design.

The creation of Fashion Design student, Jorina ak Anthony, who emerged as the overall winner, captured the attention of the judges with the bold and creative design which incorporated the motifs of the Orang Ulu tribe.

As the first prize winner, Jorina won two return tickets and hotel stay for two nights in Singapore.  She also won S$300 worth of shopping vouchers. Her classmate, Tan Siaw Wei, bagged the third prize in the competition and three other Limkokwing Borneo students, Fabian Goh, Amelia Bong and George Balan were also rewarded for their efforts as they claimed the consolation prizes.

“I never thought that I would win the competition as I am relatively new to the field,” she said. “I entered mainly for the experience. Of course I had harboured hopes of winning something, but to have won first place is really a dream come true for me.”

For George Balan, an Interior Design student with a flair for fashion, it was also a truly exhilarating experience. “I have always been interested in the development of traditional ethnic design, and saw this competition as an opportunity to exchange ideas and insights with the rest of the competitors.”

Fabian Goh, a student from the faculty of Graphic Design, was also thrilled that his design was chosen as one of the winners of the competition.

“This has been a great experience for me to build my self confidence as I was asked to explain and present my design in front of the judges. I was nervous initially, but now that I have gone through the competition process, I’m sure I can do an even better job the next time round, and will aim at winning first place!”

According to Allan Sung, Program Leader for the Diploma in Fashion & Apparel Design course at Limkokwing, the program started in Kuching this year and the response to local students taking up fashion design has been encouraging.

“The programme incorporates all the production activities involved in the development and manufacture of apparel items for men, women and children,” he said.

“These include the manipulation and experimentation of textiles and trips to generate ideas that will then be translated into three-dimensional form through pattern drafting and/or sewing.”

He added that student participation in events and competitions have always been encouraged within the Limkokwing student body as it is believed that the exposure to such experiences will allow them to mature in their understanding of their chosen fields and to be able to recognize the current needs of the working society.

Join Limkokwing’s Fashion Design Workshop on July 18

The growing interest in the fashion design industry today is clearly visible, with the influx of new designers as well as designer labels.

More and more people are beginning to realize that the world of fashion design is an industry that is opening up a myriad of career opportunities and growth.

Limkokwing has long been a pioneer in pushing forth this area to those interested in cultivating their interest and further developing their talents and creativity.

One of the methods taken by Limkokwing in discovering such talents is by holding workshops, such as the upcoming Fashion Design workshop which will be held on July 18. As places are limited, participants are advised to book early.

Participants can also explore various scholarships available for the programme at Limkokwing Borneo.