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| Fashion renaissance could save garment industry |
High above a typical loading dock used by the city's northern traders and manufacturers, where gloved and shirtless workers unload truckloads of imported Thai rice, hundreds of the city's youth are working to revitalise a floundering industry.
This summer some 400 students with a flair for fashion are spending their days learning how to cut, sew and style at the House of Apparel Technology.
The booming economy is spearheading a renewed interest in image and fashion in Macau's youth and opening up jobs selling high-end clothing and advertising design, said apparel technology department manager, Victoria Kuan, yesterday at the opening ceremony of the Teenage Fashion Design Competition.
THE ANNUAL EVENT WILL SEE TWENTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AGED FROM 16 TO 20 SHOW JUDGES BOTH THEIR CLOTHING DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING SKILLS.
AN EMPHASIS ON CREATION RATHER THAN CONSTRUCTION MAY JUST BREATHE LIFE INTO THE LOCAL RAG TRADE THAT IS SUFFERING FROM INCREASING COSTS.
THE VALUE OF GARMENTS EXPORTED FROM THE SAR HAS FALLEN BY MORE THAN 23 PERCENT SINCE 2004 AS COMPANIES RELOCATE PRODUCTION TO FACTORIES IN THE MAINLAND AND OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
LOCAL FACTORIES HAVE TRADITIONALLY MANUFACTURED CLOTHING FOR OVERSEAS DESIGNERS WHICH ALLOWS THE CUSTOMER TO EASILY SWITCH TO A LOWER COST SUPPLIER.
ONE APPROACH LOCAL MANAGERS ARE CONSIDERING TO STAY AFLOAT IS DEVELOPING THEIR OWN DESIGNS AND LABELS TO ADD VALUE TO THE ITEMS THEY PRODUCE.
??WE ARE FACING A TOUGH SITUATION WITH THE PRICE OF LABOUR IN MACAU AND HIGH COMPETITION FROM OVERSEAS MANUFACTURERS,?? SAID FUNG SHUN KIN, WHO OWNS A 300 PERSON FACTORY NEAR THE RED MARKET WHICH PRODUCES CLOTHING FOR BRANDS SUCH AS QUIKSILVER.
??Everybody is thinking to survive we will have to develop our own label.h
HOWEVER, IN ADDITION TO THE IMMENSE MARKETING EFFORT REQUIRED TO SELL A NEW CLOTHING LABEL IN THE MAINLAND OR ELSEWHERE, THE MANUFACTURERS REQUIRE TALENT TO COME UP WITH UNIQUE GARMENTS AND CONCEPTS TO SELL.
THAT'S WHERE THE HOUSE OF APPAREL TECHNOLOGY COMES IN.
Twelve years ago when Ms Kuan first joined the education institution, which is part of the non profit Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre set up by the government and a number of companies, it focused on providing training for manufacturing garments rather than designing them.
It now schools hundreds of want-to-be fashionistas in all aspects of creating an image.
Courses are run for high school students and adults wishing to join the industry teaching skills such as fabric selection, manufacturing tool use, design, cutting and sewing of a range of fashion products such as garments, bags, hair bands and doll's clothing.
Yearly approximately 600 students go through the school and 400 students are currently following summer courses.
The new interest in locally designed fashion has seen a small group of designers develop, nourished by the gaming industry and the events the city has hosted in recent years.
Ms Kuan estimates there are now at least 20 self employed designers and creative companies working in the city.
??With the development of the economy they have the courage to move into areas such as corporate development and image,h said Ms Kuan.
??ALSO THE SPORTS GAMES THAT WERE HELD TWO AND THREE YEARS AGO ALSO EMPLOYED A GROUP OF LOCAL DESIGNERS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN MAKING UNIFORMS AND COSTUMES.??
The growing local design industry has also encouraged schools to offer students a course at the apparel house.
A program developed with the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau has seen 80 high school students graduate from the institution in the last three years. A number have moved into jobs such as assistant fashion designers and graphic designers.
The 20 contestants taking part in the four day sewing and design competition that began yesterday have varied experience.
For the second time Elizabeth Mak will compete for the prize of a place in the bi-annual WorldSkills International, also known as the Skill Olympics.
The 17-year-old Santa Rosa de Lima student has a dream to open her own fashion boutique and enjoys the ??beauty?? of creating fashion.
The four day competition requires the all female entrants to first create the same classic white dress to provided measurements and then make their own additions to turn it into a ??party?? creation. |
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