The selection of the 2015 Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making held by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) was completed and a total of eight entrants were selected as eligible candidates of the Programme. IC will grant each eligible candidate (individual or team) with a subsidy of up to MOP160,000 for the sample making and production of promotional materials. In order to promote the sustainable development of the fashion design industry in Macao, IC launched the 2015 Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making last year. Among the 22 applicants, the adjudicating panel selected eight finalists after the initial and second reviews, six of whom are individuals and two are teams. The eligible candidates are: Cheang Chi Tat, Peng Yun, Tam Chi Kit, Cheong Kuan Peng & Wong Ha (team), Cheang Man Cheng, Leong Iok Pui, Lo Ka Heng & Choi Wai Leng (team) and Siu David. The adjudicating panel comprised of relevant professionals from Macao and Hong Kong covering various fields such as fashion design, retail, production and training. Members include Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, Walter Ma; member of the Committee of Cultural Industries of Macao and the President of Rainbow Group, Terry Sio; Senior Manager at the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre (CPTTM), Victoria Kuan; and Vice President of the Industrial Association of Macau, José Tang Kuan Meng. The Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making was first launched in 2013. Some 50% of the applicants for the Programme in 2015 are new applicants, revealing that the programme has continued to attract the participation of new applicants. In addition, over 60% of applicants have registered trademarks for their brands, a growth of 10% compared with 2014, showing that local fashion designers are aware of brand protection and pay close attention to intellectual property rights. One of the adjudicators remarked that the business planning of 2015’s entries is more mature than that of the past and the applicants have gradually found their market positioning. In terms of design, adjudicators said some applicants focus too much on design details whilst neglecting the practicality of the clothes. They suggested applicants consider the product design and consumers’ needs from the perspectives of their own self of use. For enquiries about the results of the Programme, please call Ms. Lam through tel. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours.
