This summer, Donna Lu, an Eric Hamber grad of 2012, flew around the world to Leipzig, Germany to represent Canada in the summer at the 42nd Worldskills Competitions. After winning the gold medal at the National Skills Canada competition in Fashion Technology in 2012, Lu registered as a part-time student at Eric Hamber for the 2012-2013 school year and part-time at Simon Fraser University in order to train for a year with Nina Ho, District Fashion Program Teacher and Juzee Delude, Canadian expert for Fashion Technology from Skill Canada.

The theme for the Leipzig competition was Military Chic. In a four day, 22 hours competition, Lu had to construct a pair of pants to specifications in 5 hours, draft and construct a fully lined jacket with required elements such as bound buttonholes, multiple zippers and pockets in 13 hours and a create a black box top to coordinate with the outfit in 4 hours. 

In the end, she placed seventh out of a field of 22 competitors from all over the world, beating countries such as England, Korea, Japan, Germany and others.  For her efforts, Lu received a Medallion for Excellence, a medallion that is only awarded to competitors that receive 500 or better out of a possible 600 marks.

Skills Competences Canada is a national, not-for-profit organization that actively promotes careers in skilled trades and technologies to Canadian youth.  Each province and territory hosts regional and provincial competitions annually and the gold medal winners then compete at the national level.  Every two years the national competition qualifies for the Worldskills competitions held somewhere in the world.  The 43rd World Skills Competition 2015 will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Hamber fashion teacher Nina Ho says the importance of skills competitions like Skills Competences Canada can't be overemphasized.

"As educators we must remember the importance of skills development in the education of our students and how it can positively impact their future," she said.

Lu wasn't the only Hamberite to travel around the world for fashion. This year she was joined by a group of Hamber fashion design students who travelled to Leipzig during the Worldskills competitions as part of their design studies tour of Berlin, Leipzig, Milan and Rome last summer.  During their visit, they cheered on Lu