Originally, clothing performed the functions of covering up and protecting the body. As time passes, clothing or garments now serve as an embodiment of personal preference, character, or the symbolisation of one’s status. Under the background of a commercialised society, clothing design has developed into fashion trends. Furthermore, as a response to consumers’ pursuit of fashion, the fashion industry is producing tons of clothing every season. As the fashion industry is blossoming, nevertheless, it becomes the world’s second-largest source of pollution, so it is high time for us to ponder over the impact of fashion industry on the environment.
In recent years, the fashion industry has set off a trend of sustainable development, which advocates the notion of “zero-waste”. With a view to environmental protection, fabrics that reduce the emission of pollutants and fabrics that are recycled and disassembled are reused to manufacture innovative garments, thereby putting sustainable fashion into practice and maintaining a balance between environmental protection and fashion. Furthermore, with advances in and popularisation of science and technology, textile fibres have been improved by generations of technology, for example, traditional artificial fibre has been developed into functional fabrics with different added values. In addition, the ever-emerging functional garments not only help improve the quality of life, but are also gradually dominating the fashion market.
The exhibition, titled “Fashion Rejuvenation—Exhibition of Eco-Friendly and Functional Fashion”, is exclusively presented by the Macao Fashion Gallery. The exhibition aims to inspire and encourage local fashion designers to seek for new breakthroughs in their designs, and to promote the use of recycled fabrics to give garments a new lease of life. Furthermore, a great variety of garments made of functional and eco-friendly fabrics are gathered at this exhibition, such as moisture-wicking, water-repellent, mechanical stretch, cooling, and quick-drying fabrics. In addition to these, chemical fabric that helps reduce pollution, alongside eco-friendly fabrics such as vegetable fibres and recycled polyester made of plastic bottles, are also showcased.
Through an open call and a rigorous assessment process, eight local fashion designers have been selected for the exhibition, namely, Milk Ng, Kitty Ng, Jack Lam, Celestino Maria Cordova, Jane Chan, Jade Leong, Connie Wong and Nicole Tam (in no particular order). Each designer will present two garments made of eco-friendly or functional fabric, making up a total of 16 creative fashion pieces. The exhibition also allows visitors to further explore and learn more about the application and integration of eco-friendly, functional fabric and fashion design, which in turn gives rise to the visitors’ concern for fashion, environmental protection and technology.
Herein, the Macao Fashion Gallery would like to express our special thanks to the Taiwan Textile Federation for their tremendous support, and for the provision of various functional and eco-friendly fabrics, without which the exhibition would not have been possible.
