Award-winning HKPolyU MA student Jessica Zheng just could be the region's next big thing in fashion design

When Chinese designer Jessica Zheng's The Little Emperors collection appeared on the catwalk of The Mira hotel last June during the Hong Kong Polytechnic University's MA fashion show, the spirit of the onlookers rose with it. There had been some quirky and highly trend-driven collections, but Zheng's was particularly distinguished from the rest by its boldness, exaggeration, decadence, eccentricity, satire, colour and, most importantly, humour. In its seemingly indulgent grandiosity, it felt like something of a design moment.

Zheng believes fashion is the carrier of culture and a tool for narrative, and she considers herself as fashion storyteller. The col-lection, which mixes traditional Chinese weaving techniques with laser-cut technology, handmade silk and six different types of leather, is based on the 80s generation in China, when every family was allowed one child only. Zheng's collection tells the story of growth and strife of this generation through the work – the obsessive and overly protective parental love, and how though everyone thought the generation would turn out to be the nation's weakest they have worked hard, succeeded and overcome their 'little emperor' status.