【明報專訊】身形嬌小的時裝設計師Aries Sin（冼美玉），說話鏗鏘有力。無論對時裝對生活都充滿熱情，最愛把自己的想法化作設計意念，讓時裝為她發聲。
1. 如何定義自己？
我是一個比較中性的人，性格中男性和女性的特質都很平均。我很喜歡這樣的自己，不會因為自己是女性，就會被女性的思想局限。無論做人還是做設計，我都希望可以跳出框框。
2. 你如何看時裝潮流？
時裝潮流就是現實生活的反映。像現在流行street fashion，背後的意義是不受拘束，勇於表達自己，這正反映了現在的年輕人都想能為自己發聲。
3. 設計過最難忘的一件時裝？
2013年參加香港青年時裝設計家創作表演賽時，我以「樹影婆娑」為主題設計了一系列時裝。當時覺得要將這個抽象感覺實體化很有難度，後來終於想到以毛冷刺繡勾畫樹葉和樹影的形態。當模特兒穿上衣服步行時，立體的樹葉會自然晃動，但樹影卻會靜止，甚具動感地表達了這個抽象意念。
4. 你如何尋找自信？
我是在失敗中找到自信。讀書時參加過很多時裝設計比賽，每次獲獎都會很開心，因為能從中找到自滿。然而，我覺得唯有在別人否定你的時候，你仍能找到自己的定位，堅持自己的信念，這才能真正的找到自信。
5. 事業上最艱難的時期？
應該是創立個人時裝品牌後第三至第五年。所謂「創業難守業更難」，時裝界對新人有很多支持，然而蜜月期之後，遇到挑戰，唯有靠自己的力量面對。那段日子自己是摸着石頭過河，步步為營地克服困難。
6. 你最欣賞的人？
Elon Musk。他是個夢想家，且勇於挑戰別人不敢做的事！就像他成立了一家太空運輸服務公司，目標是研發降低太空運輸成本，最終實現宇宙殖民的夢想。雖然外界認為這是非常冷門的生意，但他卻仍然堅持自己的信念，並把自己的想法付諸行動，很了不起。
7. 怎樣形容自己的穿衣風格？
喜歡鬆身和monotone的配搭，以平衡日常繁瑣的生活。
8. 每天最開心的事情？
返工。因為每天都在做自己喜歡的事情。做時裝設計的好處是可以周圍走，工作的時間和地點都很彈性，例如有時我上午到工廠看時裝樣板，下午回辦公室處理行政工作；又或是上午回店舖跟客人溝通，下午外出尋找衣服物料。另外，我最愛躲在家中做設計工作，因為我要在最舒服的環境才能專心創作。
9. 你認為美是什麼？
自信就是美。
10. 你覺得有什麼是被高估的？
社交媒體的數字。很多人只看數字化的結果論成敗。如多少個like、多少點擊率等，我覺得用數字去計算一樣東西的價值是不全面的，數字化的結果完全是被高估。
■ Profile
Aries Sin
本地時裝設計師。2008年於IVE（香港專業教育學院）時裝設計系畢業，及後於2010年成立個人時裝品牌MODEMENT，主打男女皆可穿的中性設計服裝。
文：吳穎湘
編輯：鄧栢麟
[Mingpao Daily News] Aries Sin (冼美玉) is an independent, Hong Kong-based fashion designer. Although small in stature, she speaks powerfully about life and fashion. Weaving her ideas into her designs, she lets fashion speak for her.
1. How do you see yourself?
I consider myself a relatively neutral person, neither particularly feminine or masculine. I quite like it, and I think it helps me a lot in the fashion process, as my work doesn’t necessarily have to come from a feminine perspective. Whether as a person or a designer, I want to be able to jump outside the box.
2. How do you view fashion trends?
I think it holds up a mirror to real life. For example, the growing popularity of street fashion is a way to express people’s desires to escape the conventional and forge their own identities. I think it shows that a lot of young people nowadays want to speak for themselves.
3. What’s your most memorable design so far?
When I participated in the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) in 2013, I submitted a collection entitled ‘Shadow Movement’, inspired by the dappled shadows cast by tree branches. At the time, I found it difficult to transform such abstract imagery, into fashion that you could see and interact with. After a lot of trial and error, we used embroidery to create the shape of leaves and branches. When the model would walk, the three-dimensional leaves would sway naturally, though the tree shadow would remain still. This way, we were able to express an abstract idea dynamically. It’s something I’m really proud of.
4. How do you find confidence?
I tend to find confidence through failure. While studying, I participated in many fashion design competition. When I won awards, I would be incredibly happy because my work was able to touch people’s hearts. However, I found that successes like this weren’t quite as memorable as what I learned from failure. I feel as though you truly find your place in the world when others turn you away. In failure, you are alone. Through that, you discover your own beliefs and convictions, and ultimately your confidence.
5. Toughest period in your career?
Probably the third to fifth year after I started my own brand. In the fashion industry, there’s a lot of support for newcomers and fledgeling designers. But after the honeymoon period is over, one must discover their own strength to succeed. Navigating the gap between ‘young designer’ and ‘professional’ felt very much like crossing a wide river. You had to feel for the stones underwater, and navigate difficulties you can’t foresee. But I got there eventually.
6. Person you admire the most?
Elon Musk. He’s a dreamer with the courage to do what others don’t, like setting up SpaceX to reduce the cost of space travel. Although people may think its not profitable business, I admire his conviction and his ability to pursue what he believes in, to turn ideas into actions. It’s amazing.
7. How would you describe your style of dress?
I like loose-fitting clothing in monotone colours, it helps me feel relaxed and to balance the stress of daily life.
8. The best part of your day?
Work, because I love what I do every day. The best thing about fashion design is that everything is flexible, including the time and place you work at. Sometimes, I go to the factory in the morning to check out the samples, then to the office for administrative work in the afternoon. Or maybe I’ll go to the shop in the morning instead and interact with guests, then shop around for new materials in the afternoon. There are also days where I like to work from home, because sometimes you need a comfortable environment to concentrate. It’s all very enjoyable.
9. What is beauty to you?
Confidence is beauty.
10. What do you think we over-value?
Social media. I think we have a tendency to measure success digitally – we’re continuously counting the likes, the clicks, the hits on the content we put out. But I think that to distill the value of something into numbers is a form of measurement that’s far from comprehensive. Digitization, I feel, is completely overstated.