FOOTWAER WINNER: LIBIN CAO

China Mainland Design Competition Footwear Winner 2022: LiBin Cao

14th January 2023

LiBin Cao is a 21-year-old student from Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province. She is currently studying at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. Inspired by iron beetles and their strength, LiBin Cao’s footwear design was created to emanate a sense of power.

INTERVIEW WITH LIBIN

Tell us about the inspiration behind your project:

The design is inspired by iron beetles found in nature. The Tieding beetle is a kind of arthropod which lives in America and is well known for its strong defence ability; it exudes a sense of power, which is what attracted me to it as inspiration for my project.

What are your thoughts on leather and sustainability, and how you think leather can adapt to a fashion industry increasingly focused on sustainability?

Leather is eternal. As long as people still eat meat, leather will always exist. Although genuine leather is expensive, it upholds many advantages such as being irreplaceable and priceless to name a few.

What do you think makes leather a great material to design with?

Firstly, it is environmentally friendly and will not burden the environment itself. Secondly, current technology makes the shape of leather full of possibilities. I believe that it has the potential to replace other materials.

How do you think winning this competition will impact your career as a designer?

This competition has impacted my career as it has given me confidence in my own aesthetics and creations going forward.