HKMU Student's Disney Design Success Leads to Career Opportunity

According to the South China Morning Post, Chloe Tong Tsam-yu, who is studying Creative Advertising and Media Design at Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU), has developed a passion for creating original characters. She expressed a desire to establish a career centered on designing her own brand of original characters.

Last summer, when Hong Kong Disneyland held an illustration contest that included an internship as the top prize, Chloe participated and won. During her time interning with the Hong Kong Disneyland merchandise team, she and her colleagues developed a new themed product line, which included items such as T-shirts, postcards, water bottles, plush key chains, and pouches.

Chloe chose Stitch as the central character for the line because the narrative involving the alien and his young Hawaiian friend Lilo resonated with her from childhood. She noted that in the story, Lilo is isolated due to her unconventional spirit, and Stitch's presence helps end her loneliness and become her companion. Chloe mentioned that her own childhood involved being absorbed in fantasy worlds while seeking understanding and kindred spirits.

She stated that she conceived the line under the title 'Stitch Up the Spring,' which references his name, describing the concept as Stitch searching for a missing key to spring to restore it to the forest.

Justin Chan Wai-yin, Merchandise Operations Integration Manager at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL), explained that HKDL organized its first tertiary illustration contest the previous year to commemorate the resort's 20th anniversary, inviting art and design students from specific institutions to display their abilities. Mr. Chan expressed satisfaction with having Chloe involved, noting that although she was initially reserved during the internship, she eventually presented her own product line to numerous colleagues during a department meeting.

Chloe shared that a key takeaway from her HKMU studies was the necessity of knowing how to execute ideas to ensure they are effective. She found that the timing of her internship was opportune because her coursework had equipped her with the necessary design software, allowing her to apply her learning immediately.

She admitted that self-doubt arose during the process, questioning if people would like the suit she designed for the character. She sought advice from her colleagues and incorporated their suggestions, refining her initial concept into specific details to determine which elements should remain. Ultimately, Chloe decided on a bow tie for Stitch as an addition that gave him more personality.

Following the conclusion of her internship, Hong Kong Disneyland extended a part-time position to Chloe to support her career development in design. This experience has reinforced her commitment to becoming a designer of original characters. She offered encouragement to fellow students with their own aspirations, advising them that they must try in order to be noticed.