"I took the wrong cable car for taking skiers up the mountain and got myself stranded. Waiting for two hours, the changing sky and the dynamic mountain scenery inspired me to observe from a photographic perspective. I had an epiphany about human insignificance and the utter beauty of nature, and also how volatile and unpredictable life could be. "

Jocelyn Lui

Jocelyn Lui

Jocelyn Lui (L6-11) earned her MA in Fashion and Textile from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2022, after completing a Professional Diploma in Fine Art (2018) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Photography (2020) in Hong Kong. Jocelyn is a fashion designer who also practises photography, media art, sound art, collage, textile art, and ceramics. Jocelyn’s varied background helps her to reconstruct childhood memories associated with the transformations in life, seen as a self-healing process that is metaphorically linked to nature. In 2023, Jocelyn held her solo exhibition The Wings of the Wind at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre. In the same year, she was sponsored under the Emerging Artists Scheme and Cultural Exchange Overseas Grant of Hong Kong Art Development Council to participate in an exhibition in the Czech Republic.

Image courtesy of the Artist
Image courtesy of the Artist
Image courtesy of the Artist
Q1. J

When did you become a fashionista? What inspired you to become a fashion designer? Do you have a favorite one?

A1. J

I had an eye for dressing up myself as young as I was in kindergarten, matching my socks and shoes even just for popping out to buy candies at the corner shop. I think the love for fashion is inborn and probably runs in my family. When I was still in secondary school, I asked my father what he thought if study fashion in the future. He gave me his support without hesitation, saying that among the four basic human needs of “clothing, food, shelter and transport”, he considered “clothing” the priority. Guess I was destined for a career in fashion.

My favorite fashion designer is Hedi Slimane who has a background in architecture, music, fashion styling, and photography. His fashion works strike a balance in the contrast between reality and fantasy, creating an intense impact and yet also maintaining a harmonious effect. His ideas are both innovative and realistic, allowing “fashion styling” to be adopted as an everyday practice.

In particular, his runway shows are eagerly anticipated each season for their unique presentation format. He is so hands on with them – not only in designing the collection, but also with the video, photography, promotion and music selection.

Q2. J

What do you think would be important for fashion in terms of concept, issues to be addressed and the use of materials in the future?

A2. J

I think that “upcycling” – redefining and recycling fabrics and garments to give them new leases of life – will become a fashion trend. As a concept for preserving the environment, it is different from “recycling” as the process and output of recycling is rarely organic. “Upcycling” is a more direct way of reusing materials, especially if the materials are made from natural fibers, which has the added benefit of being gentler on the skin.

 

 

Image courtesy of the Artist

Image courtesy of the Artist

Q3. J

What is most fun about creating in the visual arts medium?

A3. J

Fashion design and visual arts brings me different sets of creative satisfaction. Both creative mediums involve understanding the nature and characteristics of various materials and substances, then utilise suitable machinery for production. However, there are a lot more constraints when it comes to design – like issues of functionality and commercial considerations – because the user is the priority. When I create visual art works using my camera, it involves research in the process and ambiguity of interpretation in the outcome, and that makes it more enjoyable for me.

Q4. J

Do you want to be better known for your fashion design, photography, or visual media creation?

A4. J

I consider myself a fashion designer, a fashionista and a visual artist with a focus on lens-based art practices.

Image courtesy of the Artist

Q5. J

You have separately worked in visual media creation, fashion, and photography – any plans to explore combining them?

A5. J

I’d like to try combining or mix-and-matching them, but it depends on finding a suitable subject or theme in the future!

Image courtesy of the Artist

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