Tania Vania, Limkokwing’s Fashion Design student: finalist of the Sakura Collection 2014 Asia Student Award
- Tania Vania with her creation, 'Orinona'
The expert judges at the event
Tania Vania introducing the concept of 'Orinona'
Ikebana maestro Shogo Kariyazaki
The recent Sakura Collection’s Malaysia final saw Limkokwing University’s Fashion Design semester five student Tania Vania Hidayat becoming one of the finalist in the competition.
Organised by the Embassy of Japan and Adventure Japan, the Sakura Collection 2014 Asia Students Award is a fashion design contest open to all non-Japanese students and amateur designers in Asia. This year’s theme was ‘Japan’, and the final was held at the aptly named Tokyo Street, Pavilion KL on 18 September 2014. Among the expert judges on the day were two special judges flown all the way from Japan; Shogo Kariyazaki (ikebana (floral arrangement) maestro) and Mina Watanabe (designer and stylist).
Tania Vania Hidayat, who hails from Indonesia, had joined the competition to gain herself much needed experience in the fashion industry. Her efforts paid off when she became the one of the Top Nine entrants, thus becoming eligible to enter the final.
Being born to a fashion industry family, Tania said, “I got interested into fashion since small after seeing my mother handling a clothing factory back in Indonesia. I came to Limkokwing to take up fashion studies and I feel complete studying at the University.”
“Limkokwing’s Diploma in Fashion and Retail Design teaches me on a very broad scale. I am learning on both fabric manipulation and the business side of the industry, adding to that I also learn about photography,” added Tania more.
On her entries in the Sakura Collection competition, Tania said, “This competition was introduced to me by my lecturer. My design was a form of basic silhouette intricate with origami texture which was created within two weeks. Here, I had chosen the technique of ‘Orinona’ which means folding fabric. Origami has to be introduced to the international fashion world because origami is an art from Japan.”
Participants were required to produce a maximum of three Sakura inspired design collections with each piece containing a maximum of five artwork. The winner will be participating in the Sakura Collection 2014 which is to be held in Osaka this October.
Tania who aims to build her own fashion label someday encouraged other beginner fashion designers to never stop learning because there is always something new to learn in the fashion industry.