Chen said she spent more than three months working on the series. In the 10 days before the competition, she slept only three hours a day. She said she had not been confident and had almost given up.

She did not expect the award to bring her overnight success. “This is only a minor step in my career. Like other undergraduate students I don’t really have experience,” she said.

For the contest, Chen gave up two internship opportunities but she can not wait to start in the real industrial world.

She will continue to follow her dream. Her role model is British designer Vivienne Westwood whose 1980’s designs remain popular today.