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<\/a><\/p>\nBut this year, the show was a bit different. Fashion\u2019s stage became a stage for protest.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year has not been an easy one,\u201d says Artistic Director Brandon Wen in a statement. \u201cThe Ministry of Education has cut funding for international students, a lifeline of this institution, and the political state of the world has left many in fashion questioning their relevance.\u201d<\/p>\n
The message was direct: \u201cI would be lying if I said we didn\u2019t need everyone\u2019s support right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
And yet, he also insisted on continuity. \u201cBut despite all this, the fashion department pushes forward stronger than ever. There is electricity in the joy of what we do. I\u2019ve never had so much fun teaching, and the creative energy of our students flows through all of us who have the privilege to work with them. Come be a part of this. People need to see why it is so important to defend beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alongside the runway presentation, a prize is also awarded each year, anchoring the event within both celebration and evaluation.<\/p>\n
The EXPO format presents the Master\u2019s collections as spatial installations with more immersive environments that allow one to experience the garments up close, and also get to know the designers behind them. This is where a few got to share their thoughts on the future of fashion, and their desire for a more meaningful transformation within the industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI believe the dominance of fast fashion will gradually diminish as people become more conscious of what they consume,\u201d shares Suwen Liang from Jiaxing, China,\u201d \u201cIn the future, thoughtful design, meaningful storytelling, and creative work with genuine cultural and emotional value will become increasingly precious.\u201d<\/p>\n For Joren Gruenwald, a designer from Germany, he hopes for the future to be more calm, with fewer seasons, focusing on craftsmanship and details. He says, \u201c[I hope] we find more ways to make the industry more sustainable, and make fashion a bigger part of people\u2019s interest again, opening the mainstream to the idea of having fun with dressing and trying new things.\u201d He adds, \u201c Where I come from in Germany, I often feel that dressing differently is still looked down on. Bringing boldness onto the streets and having it more celebrated would be beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n For others, the emphasis is on identity and a release from inherited codes. \u201cFor me, the future of fashion is diverse and personal to each individual,\u201d says Tristan Stieners. \u201cI think\u2014and I hope\u2014we are getting past social norms connected with clothing. I see younger generations having more fun with what they wear, using it as part of their identity. Even within big fashion houses, creativity is becoming more important again. So I hope and believe the future of fashion will be lots of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIdeally, fashion should downscale and go back to self-founded brands,\u201d shares Mateusz Wyczesany, who grew up in a small city in the northern part of Poland. \u201cThe profit incentive driving fashion right now is detrimental to the overall state of the industry. If you need to make more profit every year, you will likely play it safe, which limits creativity and innovation. We don\u2019t need new clothes every season \u2013 we already produce too many. It would be healing to slow things down and focus on making things that are unique, and on cherishing every detail in a garment.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n