London Design Gold

2024

Style In Motion

Entrant Company

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Category

Conceptual Design - Fashion

Client's Name

Country / Region

Hong Kong SAR

"Tai Chi, Sports, and the 2024 Olympics" is a collection that tries to draw inspiration from the serene art of "Tai Chi", a Chinese martial form that embodies moderation and restraint, in its design. The design starts from integrating the essence and symbolic meaning of "Tai Chi" with the four new competition events added to the 2024 Paris Olympics - breakdancing, skateboarding, surfing, and climbing. These four sports together with Tai Chi represent five colours from the Olympics rings: Taichi (Black), Surfing (Blue), Climbing (Red), Breakdancing (Yellow), and Skateboarding (Green).







During the development process, 3D dynamic scanners were used to capture the joint movements of the Tai Chi practitioners. A unique approach was adopted to formulate and transform the documented Tai Chi motion into geometric origami structures, combining Eastern garment patterns and Western three-dimensional cutting techniques. The pattern analysis also includes the motion of each sport, creating one-of-the-kind garments silhouette to match the dynamics of the manoeuvre.







Utilising digital knitting technology and traditional hand-pressed thermal folding methods, sportswear is designed to perfectly fit the athletes' body shapes, enhancing their performance. This showcases the Tai Chi philosophy of yin-yang harmony and the balance of hard and soft, tradition and modern, and handmade and machine-made, reflecting the aesthetic beauty of the fusion of Eastern and Western elements. It's crafted to resonate with the rhythm of the body and soul, dedicated to enhance the inner Qi – the life force that flows through every moment and breath.  This collection is designed to pay tribute to the philosophy of Yin and Yang.







Our designers have delved deeply into translating the kinetic energy of these sports into a tangible form through innovative fabric choices. The result is a transformative fusion of reality and imagination, where the material not only complements the athlete's form but also elevates their performance to new heights. Each piece in our collection is meticulously engineered to capture the essence of these vibrant sports, analysing the fluidity and strength required to excel in each one.

Credits

Research Assistant
Yinuo Qian
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