Is Ford joining the fashion industry?

Yes, Ford will be part of the Hong Kong Fashion Week and they will be showcasing the works of their competition on the runway. Ford Motor Company teamed up with Redress, an NGO dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability in the fashion industry to create the Redress Forum 2016: Ford Design Challenge.

The brief for the EcoChic Design Award competition is easy, competitors are required to create a high-fashion outfit from the sustainable seat fabrics used in Ford vehicles. Ten finalists from Hong Kong, mainland China, Thailand, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom stepped forward with their best creations ranging from couture dresses to spiritually inspired suiting.

Ultimately, Pan Wen from China and Amy Ward from the UK, who created a floor-length asymmetrical dress in the hues of neutral fabrics and contrasting copper inspired by a quiet underpass on Hong Kong’s famous Victoria Peak took top honours in the competition.

The winning dress, along with the nine other dresses created by the finalists of the competition will be part of the EcoChic Design Award 2015/16 grand finale show at the HKTDC Hong Kong fashion week. This will be Ford’s sustainable seat fabric debut at an official Fashion Week show.

Ford has been working on a long standing and growing commitment to sustainable design research, the seat fabric for example are made from recycled plastic water bottles while storage bins are made using wheat-straw and the dashboard padding from scrap cotton from recycled jeans.

With textile waste becoming an increasing problem in many countries as clothing production and consumption continues to increase Ford has decided to show their support with their involvement with Redress in creating the EcoChic Design Award 2015/16.

Jerrica Leong