PARIS — April 12, 2016 — Lectra — a provider of integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials — is pleased to announce that it has recently joined forces with Les Enphants and the Shanghai Institute of Visual Art to hold its inaugural childrenswear design competition in China using Kaledo®, Lectra’s textile design solution. Aside from exploring the latest fashion trends in the world of childrenswear, it also served as a learning and communications platform for future fashion designers, bringing them one step closer to attaining their lifelong goals. Outstanding designs from the competition will be included in Les Enphants’ childrenswear range, and the winner will be awarded a unique opportunity to intern for the company. Over 30 fashion design students from the Shanghai Institute of Visual Art took part in the competition.
With the newly implemented two-child policy, China’s market for children’s products is expected to boom, with childrenswear becoming a major source of growth for fashion companies. Additionally, the rising popularity of TV programs featuring celebrity families has brought children of famous Chinese personalities into the limelight, and spurred young parents to closely follow the fashion trends set by these child stars. As an emerging consumer group in the childrenswear market, parents in their 20s and 30s have developed different tastes and shopping habits from the previous generation. This, in turn, will trigger a revolution in the market, creating new challenges for childrenswear designers. Lectra has chosen to work with well-known childrenswear brands and vocational design schools with the aim of fostering future talented designers capable of adapting to the changing trends in children’s fashion.
The design campaign was officially launched in September 2015. Design Managers and Purchasing Managers from Les Enphants conducted classes, helping students carry out market research on upcoming childrenswear trends and define their design direction and style while providing creative guidance. Lectra’s design solution Kaledo helped the students bring their design ideas to life. The submitted designs were then evaluated by a panel of industry experts, followed by an awards ceremony recently hosted by the event sponsors. These designs will then be used by Les Enphants and even have a shot at appearing in the Shanghai 2016 autumn/winter fashion show, where they will be highly publicized and showcased to a wider audience.
“Throughout our entire collaboration with the institute, Lectra has undoubtedly proved to be an exceptional partner. The company has been playing a supportive role in the growth of fashion education in China for years, and has provided all-round assistance in the form of technology, equipment and training,” said Li Keling, Dean of the Fashion Design School at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Art, during the awards ceremony. “Lectra has helped forge our partnership with Les Enphants. With the full support of Lectra and Les Enphants, we are developing talent with the aim of meeting the current needs of the fashion industry, and this will contribute greatly in accelerating the development process of fashion design education in China.”
“I was deeply impressed by all of the students’ work here today, and the experience derived from holding this competition is invaluable. This served as a great opportunity for us to listen to the voices of the younger generation, and to witness what they have envisioned for the childrenswear industry,” added You Shuilian, Deputy Manager for business planning, Les Enphants. “Lectra is a reputable brand and is a platform that brings schools and businesses together. Thanks to this three-way partnership, Les Enphants is building a younger brand image, and the young generation here today will soon accomplish their goals.”
“Students are the future of the fashion industry. Bringing great talent forward is a good way of ensuring that the industry continues to flourish. This is why Lectra values its ongoing partnerships with vocational educational institutions around the world. Lectra has already established close-knit partnerships with over 50 establishments in the greater China region. Besides providing them with the most innovative solutions, we have helped in developing alliances between these vocational institutes and renowned companies, while actively promoting collaboration between schools and businesses. Our hope is that everyone can work together to discover and cultivate a new generation of talented designers in order to ensure long-term growth in the Chinese fashion industry,” concluded Andreas Kim, Managing Director of Lectra Greater China.
Posted April 12, 2016
Source: Lectra
