Profile: YAN-ZHI CHEN – Real Leather Design Competitions

YAN-ZHI CHEN

Shu-Te Insititute of Technology

Fashion Design BFA

Handbags, Accessories, Design

My name is Chen Yanzhi. I am 19 years old. I am currently studying in the second year of the Department of Fashion Design at Shude University of Science and Technology in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. I major in the decoration category. My main works are bags. My interests are also related to what I have learned in high school. The major is beauty and hairdressing, and the challenge of crossing categories is also the first goal I set for myself. During college, I participated in various competitions to make myself more professional.

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WHO ARE YOU

Category: Accessories

Competitions: Taiwan Region

Using PTSD as the focal point, delving into the trauma of soldiers after war. "How do I know who is a friend and who is an enemy?" WHO ARE YOU expresses the uncertainty of soldiers during onset, unable to differentiate between foe and comrade, feeling lost within themselves. Memories of past trauma often hijack one's sense of time and space, trapping them in a cycle of helplessness. The fabric treatment employs a mottled effect, with the right-side design capable of being opened to reveal a heart filled with spikes. The orange interior symbolizes the chaos of war, and the fabric is designed to protrude. On the left side, many faces are depicted, representing the difficulty in distinguishing friend from foe. The inclusion of numerous calluses also signifies bullet holes from the war, illustrating how deeply PTSD affects soldiers' hearts. The design is modeled after a soldier's canteen, which is indispensable to them, much like facing the heart of war and killing enemies. However, it is this loyalty that becomes a triggering factor for PTSD.