Textile pioneer Kinor Jiang is designer-in-residence

Kinor Jiang

The College of Human Ecology’s Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design (FSAD) will host Kinor Jiang, professor of textiles at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, as the 2018 FSAD Designer in Residence.

On campus as part of the four-week residence, he will exhibit some of his creative work in a gallery opening and deliver a public lecture on coating techniques in sustainable textiles and fashion. He will also interact with FSAD students and faculty, give guest lectures in classes, and provide advice and critique student work.

“Dr. Kinor Jiang is an internationally acclaimed fashion and textile surface designer,” said Jintu Fan, the Vincent V.C. Woo Professor in Fiber Science and Apparel Design, department chair and director of the Cornell Institute of Fashion and Fiber Innovation. “His work explores the frontier of surface design by integrating contemporary Asian arts with advanced fashion and textile technologies. He is particularly known for his extraordinary metallic textiles.”

According to Fan, the residency aims to create an environment for the exchange of forward-thinking and creative ideas around fashion design and fiber science.

Jiang’s design research deals with textile effects using physical and chemical treatment technologies. He is renowned internationally for his development of metallizing technology for functional and decorative textiles.

Consisting of works by Jiang and collaborators, the exhibit “Surface Design in Fashion” will open Jan. 29 in the Jill Stuart Gallery at 4:30 p.m., followed by a reception. The exhibit presents his design works since 2000, which demonstrate his artistic ideals and design concepts and highlight a creative collection of works by fashion designers who work with Jiang and use materials he has developed.

On Jan. 30, Jiang will deliver “Coating Processes Towards Sustainable Textile and Fashion,” at 4:45 p.m. in G71 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall. The lecture will focus on the concept and methods of his creation of a new metallic fabric, and new sustainable techniques to improve the functional properties these new textiles while enhancing fabric aesthetics.

Jiang developed a novel metallizing machine for high-performance metallic textile production. “Metals, alloys and metal oxides are used to coat textiles which create captivating painted hues on the textile surface,” he said. “The technology is an environmentally friendly approach for textile dyeing and finishing which applies dry coatings under an anhydrous condition.”

Jiang obtained his bachelor’s from the Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University, China, and his master’s in fashion and textile design and doctorate from Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He worked in the fashion sector as a textile designer for several years prior to beginning his academic career at the Central Academy of Arts and Design and Tsinghua University in 1992.

He has written more than 100 academic papers and books. His works are part of the permanent collections of museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco and China National Silk Museum.

Stephen D’Angelo is assistant director of communications in the College of Human Ecology.

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Lindsey Knewstub