A match made in Taiwan

When fashion flirts with technology it doesn't always score, but when Hewlett-Packard (HP) Taiwan combined its latest printing technology with 26-year-old, self-taught designer Jasper Huang (黃嘉祥), a match was made in Taiwan. There is a need for more commercial viability in Taiwan's fashion industry and cutting-edge innovations combined with local talent will help put Taipei on the map.

Under a dark sky with a forecast of rain, a small crowd of stylists and reporters gathered Monday on the patio at Herbs restaurant to catch a preview of Huang's spring/summer collection. Jasper + HP = everything is possible II was the follow-up to the unveiling of the HP Designjet printer held in January.

The winter show highlighted the printer's ability to reproduce vivid patterns and colors on a wide range of textiles, which can be used to manufacture clothing. The event also debuted Huang's series of elaborate costumes for men and women and also previewed a more wearable line of clothing that is soon to be available at Huang's boutique in Taipei.

Luckily, as the lounge music began to play the clouds parted and the sun came out. It was perfect timing as two models in beach attire made their way down the runway. The spring/summer collection showcased a range of T-shirts, shorts, tank tops and swimwear; each piece saturated in bright, bold colors.

Huang uses playful shades to brighten up his traditional Taiwanese floral patterns, which is fitting for a line of beachwear. The vibrant pinks and purples are a daring move away from the dark or pale tones often used by Huang. The tight-fitting shorts and swimming trunks cannot be worn by every man, so to accommodate the less sculpted physique he has designed a range of less-restrictive shorts and tops.

When a middle-aged man was asked if he would wear any of the items modeled during the show he joked, "I'm too old. My wife would laugh at or kill me. But I might be able to get away with a tie," he said referring to a selection of silk satin ties using a similar color and pattern scheme to that of the clothing.

The over-the-top mix of colors and patterns is continued in the women's collection of short-shorts and figure-shaping tank tops. The fluorescent yellow and green colors are muted with subtle tones of blue and burnt orange. One of the most striking pieces was the one-piece, open-back bathing suit that resembled a bikini. Basic white T-shirts livened up with small printed images and a selection of twill fabric carrier bags in muted pastels with bird and floral designs representative of ink brush painting were also on display.

The entire show was a small preview of what will come next month; a selection Huang promises will include more airy pants, floaty dresses and tailored jackets using the HP Designjet printer.

The project originated last year with HP Taiwan Marketing Development Manager Garphy Chang (張叔銘). Chang realized there was a market to be explored when he stumbled upon textile artists using standard paper printers to print computer-generated designs onto fabric. He approached Jack Liao (廖述傑), CEO of Colors Well Enterprise, who advised on manufacturing the textiles and ink cartridges and together they conceived the Designjet Printer 130. From thick polyester fibers to satin silk, more than 20 textiles can be used to make clothing, swimsuits and upholstery.