Xiyuan 29 Fashion Creation Base_Taipei Fashion Arena Introduction
The "Xiyuan 29 Fashion Creation Base," located in the culturally rich Wanhua district, is designed around the concept of a tree to cultivate fashion design talents in Taiwan. Previously known as the Taipei Fashion and Textile Museum, this three-story fashion hub has emerged as a new landmark in the clothing industry, complemented by the surrounding Mengjia clothing district (Dali Clothing District). The entire building features a red-brick façade, and its interior design revolves around the concept of a tree, aspiring to become a creative tree that absorbs the historical and cultural essence of Wanhua, nurturing fashion design talents in Taiwan, and expanding to support the Mengjia clothing district. It aims to facilitate collaborations between local business operators and resident designers, establishing exemplary design project partnerships that invigorate the textile and fashion design industries in Taiwan, enhance the reputation of Taiwanese brands and design capabilities, and promote them to the international stage. Collaboration with campuses and nurturing emerging designers is also one of the main tasks of the "Xiyuan 29 Fashion Creation Base." Currently, the venue is open for reservations from students and faculty of related departments in colleges and universities for guided tours, and it is also collaborating with schools on internship programs during the summer, allowing students to gain insights into the connection between design and marketing in Taiwan's overall apparel industry through hands-on experience in the base's operations and cooperation activities with designers from the Mengjia clothing district. The first floor features a pure white-toned lobby, aiming to create a sensory fashion information space, akin to a stylish stage showcasing the beautiful works of designers. There is a coffee bar in the corner where visitors can relax, enjoy a coffee, admire the fashion works brimming with design creativity, read design-related publications, and seek their own inspiration. To learn more about the "Xiyuan 29 Fashion Creation Base," the cultural history and development of the Mengjia area, as well as the personal profiles, creative styles, and works of resident designers, dynamic videos are played on the first floor to provide visitors with a wealth of information in a short time, accompanied by interactive screens that allow people to interact with the visuals using Wii-like controllers. The second floor serves as a mobile working platform for designers, featuring their studios, which are not open to the public on weekdays. This is the source of creativity, providing a space for pattern making and a variety of materials for designers to unleash their creativity and showcase their skills by crafting what can be considered artistic fashion pieces. Currently, there are five resident designers: Hsu Yu-Chu, Tseng Wei-Hsiang, Kao Sheng-Chung, Lu Hsueh-Cheng, and Shih Yu-Lin. In the future, new emerging fashion designers with international market potential will be selected to join them annually. The third floor is equipped with a space suitable for hosting small fashion shows, exhibitions, and lectures, featuring thick carpets and curtains for sound insulation. To enhance the diversity of space usage, movable partition tracks are installed on the ceiling, allowing the creation of necessary spaces with detachable panels, designed to resemble the street map of the Mengjia area. Backstage, a changing room for models is also built. In the future, design-related departments are also welcome to rent the space for courses, lectures, or fashion exhibitions.
