Chin Lin

Profession

Graduate Diploma Fashion Design Technology Alum

College

London College of Fashion

Person Type

Alumni

Biography

We spoke with 2020 graduate Chin Lin about her projects, inspirations, experiences on the Graduate Diploma FDT course, and advice for new students.

Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do?

My name is Chin Lin, I’m from Taiwan, raised in Shanghai and I’m an artefact designer. Since coming to London I’ve developed my research process and learned how to discover the things I'm interested in and try to combine them into my design work.

What were you doing before you joined the Graduate Diploma FDT course?

Before I joined the course I was studying Oil Painting at university. We also did contemporary art so sometimes our homework would be to create some installation art or sculptures. After I graduated, I got a job as a Sculptor and worked at a jewellery design company. This experience gave me a lot of skills and techniques, but I didn’t think that I could make my own creations.

What attracted you to the Graduate Diploma FDT course and why did you want to study at London College of Fashion?

LCF is a very nice environment to let me explore many things and display the work I create, and I can also collaborate with other departments. That’s what I wanted to experience from the university, the most important thing is the whole environment, which brings a multi-layered result.

What was your experience like on the Graduate Diploma FDT course? How did it improve your fashion practice, or help you develop as a designer?

Our tutors were very nice, they encouraged us to try and challenge ourselves, and gave lots of feedback to help us improve and do justice of our own works and make our creations better.

Could you tell me about your final project and the outcomes?

My final project was a little bit challenging for me, because it was about smelling and trying to visualize scents. At the beginning I wanted to find a scent that could stimulate the memory of a city. I tried to find what kind of feeling and meaning these smells would bring to people and make something a little bit like a wearable sculpture, where the texture can make people feel and remember the smell. But it wasn’t my favourite project.

What was your favourite project?

My favourite project was inspired by an adventure ‘junk’ playground. It was original made by children during the Second World War, when they didn’t have toys or a place to play. At that time they were meeting together and collecting old things like cardboard or pieces of bombed cars. Although adults will treat it like junk, the children think it’s a valuable material. I tried to find real waste items, like old tyres or furniture and some wood pieces or broken sticks on the street to make special artefacts and wearable decorations. I used some luxury materials that look like leather and fur to make an original object. I like to combine things which have opposing ideologies, like the material of valuable items and the shape of junk.

What would you say are your interests as a designer?

I like artefacts, and I think it is the most interesting way to design, because it’s related to the human body and the space which we live our daily lives in. I want to try to make objects which can be immersive like installation art, but also like a work of fashion.

What advice would you give to any potential students who want to join the Graduate Diploma FDT course?

I think many people will trying to do something that follows trends, but if you do the things you are really interested in then from the research to the process to the result, it will be more like your own style.

As an international student, I wish someone told me which places I could find ideas. Explore often and go to different galleries and museum.

What are your plans going forward now that you’ve finished the course?

I've recently been studying on some UAL Short Courses - How be an Independent Curator and Art, Ethics and Social Change. Every day is very important, and I want to improve myself. I'm very excited about joining the MA Fashion Artefact course at London College of Fashion, to collaborate with new classmates and with other UAL schools like London College of Communication. I’d love to do an exhibition or virtual show.