Expert says fashion industry now more ‘mature’

The Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center (CPPTM) announced yesterday the seven winners of its 16th annual “Macau Youth Fashion Technology Competition” on its website.
According to Victoria Kuan, senior manager of the Creative Fashion and Image Department at CPPTM, the center’s summer workshop ran for almost two months and attracted 44 participants for 60 hours of training. The competition attracted 24 contestants.
Kuan, who has been in the fashion industry for over 20 years, said the region’s young talent needs motivation to pursue careers in fashion, and that the industry must actively upgrade its training programmes.
“Every city needs a fashion school. We need to teach [interested] people [how to create] fashion or garments. No matter how big or small the city is, we need the talent,” she explained to the Times.
Kuan said the region’s resorts encouraged young fashion talent to apply their skills through occasional design competitions for department uniforms.
According to Kuan, the city’s fashion industry is becoming “mature”, as a number of local brands have already been created. She claimed that some retailers have even had Hong Kong celebrities as their clients, as well as local residents.
“[There] will be a good future [for the industry]. The designs and workmanship are mature,” she reiterated.
Chio Weng Chong, who won first prize in the contest, said she is still quite unsure about pursuing a career in fashion, as she is currently studying visual arts at a local institute. However, she stressed that the contest had helped her enhance her skills.
CPTTM said in a statement that it conforms to international standards in its curriculum design and facility planning, in cooperation with the government.
CPTTM stated further that its fashion and creative courses encompass a wide range of modules such as personal image design, fashion design and production, marketing and sales; and even minor subjects like knitwear manufacturing, merchandising and management. Lynzy Valles