Taiwan’s Po-Chieh Chiu has won the Swarovski International Catwalk Competition at 2017’s Graduate Fashion Week.
A graduate of Shih Chien University and former intern at Jason Wu, Po-Chieh Chiu receives a £1,000 prize as well as the chance to show his collection at Fashion Scout over London Fashion Week in September.
The event also featured designers hailing from foreign schools with the International Catwalk Competition, in collaboration with Swarovski. Competing schools included the Academy of Design in Sri Lanka, IED, Istituto Marangoni and Accademia di Costume e Moda in Italy, SCAD in Hong Kong, Atlanta and Savannah, USA, the Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués in Paris and the Shih Chien University in Taiwan. And the winner of the International Catwalk Competition Award comes precisely from the Taiwan school. Po-Chieh Chiu was selected among 32 finalists from Japan, China, Europe and the US, grabbing the £1,000 prize and the chance to take the runway at Fashion Scout during the upcoming edition of London Fashion Week. “The collection was considered and mature. The panel felt it was relevant to the times and make of the highest craftsmanship” were the judging panel’s considerations, which included Michelle Duguid, Senior Fashion Editor, Elle UK; Myriam Coudoux, Head of Communications at Swarovski and Jane Rapley, Head of School at Central Saint Martins.
ITS 2018 is a call for everyone to "Be Bold" just like the ITS finalists who are not afraid to show off themselves, their dreams and their obsessions through their creativity. The Jury sees among others Marni Creative Director Francesco Risso and digital influencers Bryanboy and Leaf Greener. The outstanding quality of the finalists' projects results in extra prizes, presented on catwalk, among others, by OTB President Renzo Rosso.