27 The HKDI has also teamed up with cycling sportswear brand Santic to co-organise a student design competition, integrating the project into the advanced diploma fashion design course, which attracted more than 80 students. The students in this course created distinctive cycling sportswear using classic cycling culture and surrealism as their design directions. Professional judges selected five finalists, and Santic helped bring to life the students' designs, which were showcased at the HKDI graduation exhibition. This collaboration gave students valuable practical experience, from design conception to final production, broadening their horizons and cultivating their professional abilities. Nulu fabric and the wrinkle-resistant, breathable and stretchy Warpstreme fabric. Meanwhile, outdoor sports equipment brand BOA, founded in the Colorado Rockies, has developed the revolutionary patented BOA Fit System. The brand has an independent Performance Fit Lab, with a team of designers, prototype makers, engineers and biomechanics experts conducting independent scientific research both in labs and rugged outdoor terrain. The brand spends over 400 hours annually evaluating elite athletes' performances to collect data. The patented design used in sports and mountaineering shoes, BOA PerformFit Wrap, encloses and fits the midfoot and locks the heel. Scientific testing has confirmed that the design accelerates athletes by 1.5%, reduces ankle rotation speed by 7%, enhances overall stability, and boosts speed, agility and endurance. In recent years, the general public has raised their awareness on health and wellness, leading to the athletic and leisure elements also becoming a prominent fashion statement. Sports leisurewear will undoubtedly become one of the most prominent fashion elements. With more sports-related technologies emerging, the future will see diverse sports leisurewear that meet contemporary consumers' comprehensive demands for comfort, functionality and aesthetics, allowing both athletes and the public to showcase their confident and stylish side. In future major competitions, the Hong Kong cycling team will be able to leverage cutting-edge advancements in fabric technology, 3D scanning and fluid dynamics analysis. Their stateof-the-art gear will blend innovation with bespoke tailoring, rigorous wind tunnel testing and wearable posture monitoring devices. These improvements promise to bring more glory to Hong Kong and its athletes. Athleisure trend Since the 1980s, athleisure has gradually entered the mainstream market, and in the 2010s, it caught on fed by celebrity pictures on social media. In the post-pandemic era, as people increasingly prioritise health, more individuals are adopting exercise habits like hiking and yoga, leading to a transformation in global sports leisurewear brands. Sportswear is no longer limited to exercise — it brings the wearer the best of all worlds: fashion, comfort and functionality. For example, lululemon, founded in 1988 and originating from North America, has developed a variety of proprietary fabrics, such as the quickdrying, breathable and highly stretchy
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