Profile: YU-Chi WANG – Real Leather Design Competitions

YU-Chi WANG

Shih Chien University

I have always believed that design and creation are powerful ways to express oneself through everyday objects. I feel incredibly grateful to be walking this creative path—where I can communicate my values, thoughts, and emotions through the work I create. My journey began with a fine art background, where I relied heavily on instinct and emotion to guide my process. Back then, creation was an intimate, intuitive form of self-dialogue—my personal way of engaging with the world. However, as I gradually transitioned into the field of design, I came to realize that design differs fundamentally from art. While art often centers around self-expression, design demands a broader perspective. It asks not only “What do I want to say?” but also “What does the user need?” Design is not only about form, but also about function—considering how something works, how it feels to use or wear, and how it fits into daily life. This shift changed the way I view creativity. I began to approach design more holistically—no longer as a one-way projection of personal ideas, but as a dialogue between the designer and the world. I started observing how people interact with objects, noticing their behaviors, habits, and needs. These insights became the foundation of my design thinking. To me, design is an honest act—one that’s empathetic to others, responsible to the environment, and deeply true to oneself. It’s not just about creating things I like, but about making meaningful objects that carry my voice while also resonating with others. In this process, I’ve come to understand that good design is not just seen—it’s felt, used, and lived with. And that’s what makes it truly powerful.

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The Etched Blank. (蝕刻的餘白)

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Taiwan Region

This collection, titled "The Etched Blank," explores the narrative of cognitive decline and mental disorder, visually translating the fragmented and mottled consciousness of Alzheimer’s patients through the transformative textures of leather. The term "Etched" signifies the irreversible marks left by pathology on life, while "Blank" represents the mental chasms and disconnections formed in the wake of forgetting. In terms of material language, the central torso utilizes linen-colored leather, whose primitive and raw tactile quality symbolizes the initial pure and soft core of human consciousness. As the visual focus radiates outward, it transitions into eroded, mottled leather, a metaphor for the damage to neural circuits, creating chaotic and uncontrollable mutations. The exaggerated, asymmetrical wave-like sleeves simulate the visual noise generated by the brain's decaying neural pathways; these fluctuating curves intentionally shift the visual center of gravity, deeply echoing the patient's instability and psychological disorientation. The complex woven structure on the lower legs symbolizes the patient’s struggle to re-establish connections within broken thoughts; these grids, though tight, are filled with voids (blanks), embodying the inherent dignity and life value that remain even within a fractured soul. This work is dedicated to countering the disposable culture of fast fashion through the exceptional durability of leather. Just as leather develops a captivating patina over time, the life of a person with dementia—though disordered—possesses a narrative where every crease and mark is worthy of respect. Through this "memory-retaining" natural material, I have recorded the struggle and lingering warmth of a soul during the process of cognitive dissipation, bestowing the sustainable value of Slow Fashion and conveying a profound belief in honoring the full cycle of life.