Pin Jen Chu

My name is Pin Jen Chu, and I come from Taiwan. I have been studying
in the fashion industry for 11 years now. At the age of 16, I dreamed of
becoming a fashion designer due to my strong interest in colors. I
enrolled in a vocational high school in my hometown to learn how to
design and make clothes. Subsequently, I successfully applied to the
Fashion Design Management department at Tainan University of
Technology. My graduation project was also shortlisted for Taiwan's new
generation of designers, which was tremendously encouraging.

The motivation that drove me to study abroad at the Academy of Art
University was the feeling that I had yet to make any substantial
progress with my designs. They had been stuck at a stage where the
construction of the garment outshined the design. However, I not only
wanted to have the technical skills, I also wanted to be able to design
things that came to life. This would give me a sense of achievement and
become the driving force for me to continue developing my craft.

When I first encountered textile design, I felt that designs that once
seemed stagnant had new energy, which led to more inspiration and
ideas for clothing design. Over the course of two years I gained valuable
experience, building my knowledge and skills in textile design, and in the
spring of 2024 I received my Masters in Textile Design. I have been able
to incorporate textile skills into many of my designs, which has led to a
sense of creative fulfillment and fuels additional inspiration. I am no
longer merely dreaming about creating; now, I am making those dreams
a reality. This has become an essential and cherished part of my life.