少年创客科技时装秀再续精彩

Guo Yiyao, Wheaty Cai

yiyaoguo@outlook.com

The Second Youth Fashion Tech Show hosted by MakeFashion Edu was successfully held at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center on the evening of May 26. Members of the Shenwai Longgang International School (SLIS) Makers Club, instructed by art teacher Barbara Grotowska, participated in the technology fashion show together with students from other schools.

All the little designers went through a complete design process, including sketches, ideas and inspiration sources, as well as the integration of technology and art into the production process. They combined different materials to express their thoughts about different topics such as environmental protection, technology and dreams.

Fourth grader Winnie Gu used her project “Mango” to express her love and respect for her pet parrot named Mango. Her blue and green dress was a representation of the jungle, enlivened with colorful lights representing exotic flowers and foliage. “Mango is beautiful with green and yellow feathers, and he is very social,” she said.

“When I was small, I got a little toy: my white tiger. Although I’m in the third grade, it’s still my favorite toy,” said Amy Luo. She has read a lot about white tigers and learned about their rarity. Inspired by white tigers, she wore a blue tiger striped dress made of LED strips and white faux fur collars.

“Wu Xing Warrior,” designed by Kimi Wu, Henry Liao, and Joey Ye, members of the Super Makers of SLIS, was also very impressive. The inspiration for this piece came from the Five Element Theory based on Chinese philosophy and Chinese martial arts stories. The elements include metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The team decided to create one costume, “Elements Warrior” (“Wu Xing Warrior”), containing all the elements, to show the unity of their team and friendship. Thoughtful consideration was given to the fabrics, electronics, and other materials used to illustrate the power of every element.

Children from other schools also displayed wonderful works. Hayle Massey from Shenzhen American International School projected the ultrasound photos of her younger brother in the womb onto her clothes, hoping to raise people’s awareness about our value. “The Myth” by 16-year-old Gracjana Siewert expressed feelings of frustration and sadness. Inspired by the complex emotions in the myth of Medusa, she fused design and technology together to bring forth feelings of despair and rebellion.

The children’s works combining innocence and technology were well demonstrated in this glamorous fashion show. Its incorporation of creativity and visual technology also sparked the crowd’s intenest.