Profile: Bryan Chuang – Real Leather Design Competitions

Bryan Chuang

Shih Chien University

Hi, my name is Bryan Chuang, and I’m 19 years old, turning 20 on July 7. I’m from Medan, Indonesia a vibrant city that shaped my love for creativity and fashion. I’m currently in my second year at Shih Chien University in Taiwan, pursuing my dream of becoming a fashion designer. My passion for fashion began when I was a child. I started by drawing people, and around the age of 7 or 8, I was inspired by my mom, who used to sketch fashion designs at night. Since then, I’ve grown more interested in the fashion world sketching, sewing, DIY crafts, and even photography and dancing. Now in university, I’m focused on developing my fashion skills learning to sew, turning my childhood sketches into real designs, and aiming to win fashion design competitions. My style is unique, mystic, and avant-garde, often blending bold silhouettes with deep storytelling. I love to incorporate traditional touches into my work, drawing inspiration from culture, history, and emotion to create pieces that feel both otherworldly and personal. I’m inspired by designers who challenge norms and use fashion as an artistic expression. One day, I hope to launch my own brand one that empowers people to express their identity and feel confident in their uniqueness. I believe fashion is more than just clothing it’s a powerful voice and a living canvas for ideas. With passion and vision, I’m excited to shape my path as a designer who dares to be different.

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Tondi, Tano, Tolu

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Taiwan Region

While the modern world races toward a sustainable future, the Batak people of Indonesia have long held a spiritual worldview rooted in harmony, balance, and respect for the unseen. This philosophy is embodied in Datu Na Tolu a triadic cosmology guided by a single spiritual figure known as the datu. This ancient knowledge divides the universe’s power into three sacred roles: healing and human-nature harmony (Datu Partondi), connection between spirits and realms (Datu Parmangmang), and protection from destruction (Datu Parsahalan). This garment is titled “Todi Tano Tolu,” meaning “Three Pillars of the Land.” It is not just clothing it is a vessel of memory, myth, and mystery. The moodboard draws inspiration from ancient Batak ritual spaces: earthy textures, ancestral symbols, and echoes of sacred ceremony. Design elements include Singa Batak, a guardian creature symbolizing strength and fertility; the Tunggal Panaluan, a shaman’s staff evoking spiritual power; braided hair representing interconnectedness and unseen bonds; and rooted patterns inspired by tree roots silent, grounding forces that uphold life, yet often go unseen. Though the term “sustainability” is never named, the philosophy behind Datu Na Tolu lives it: when balance between nature, spirit, and humanity is broken, life itself unravels. In a world searching for the future, this piece dares to look back to the forgotten wisdom buried in the land.