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文漢 蔡

LAB university of Applied Sciences

I am a university student from Tainan, Taiwan, currently studying fashion design. Growing up in a coastal city has shaped my interest in the relationship between environment, material, and the body, which I translate into my creative work. During my studies, I have focused on garment structure and material exploration, incorporating natural imagery and personal perception into my designs to develop a narrative approach. Recently, I became particularly interested in leather, drawn to its thickness, malleability, and the traces of time it carries, and began exploring its potential in fashion. After learning about this leather design competition, I decided to participate and challenge myself, hoping to expand my creative perspective and gain practical experience.

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Fluid Shell

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Taiwan Region

This series is inspired by the coastal landscape of Anping, Tainan, depicting the murky, sediment-rich conditions of the sea while exploring the increasingly blurred boundaries between the body and its environment. Under the influence of the ocean, the body is no longer a closed outline but a fluid vessel that is continuously permeated, eroded, and reconfigured. The design takes the curved and layered structures of shells as its core, translating them into wrapping and stacked garment silhouettes, further emphasized through asymmetrical cutting and layered construction to evoke the rhythm of tidal movement. Deep red leather is used to suggest an ambiguous relationship between the deep sea and the human body, highlighting a dense, organic texture marked by traces of time. Sheer fabrics extend and attach to the surface like waves or seaweed, creating a dynamic tension between rigidity and softness. Together, the garments express a state of ongoing transformation, as if the body is being continuously altered, enveloped, and reshaped by the sea, forming an open and fluid existence.

In association with Arts Thread

Working with our partners at Arts Thread to develop lifelong learning and career opportunities for students of fashion and design. Our partnership provides the opportunity to compete on a world stage, participate in industry led workshops, set up an outstanding portfolio and gain access to the resources that will kickstart careers in fashion and design.