zipperNEW YORK, Jan 10, 2010 / — Eunju Koh, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), won the first-place prize of $2,000 in a competition to design activewear and sportswear using waterproof zippers by Your Correct Choice (YCC) Zippers.

Koh’s design was chosen the best from a field of 16 FIT student finalists by a panel of industry judges on December 15. Koh is a seventh-semester Fashion Design major specializing in knitwear.

Jusil Carroll, a fifth-semester Fashion Design student also specializing in knitwear, took the second-place award of $1,200. Rochelle Gloor, winner of the third-place prize of $500, is a first-semester Fashion Design major who will select her area of specialization in her third semester. Bokyeoung Juliette Kim received honorable mention and a certificate of recognition.

Open to all full-time FIT students majoring in Fashion Design, the contest was sponsored by YCC Zippers, one of the largest zipper manufacturers in the world.

Students were challenged to use waterproof YCC zipper samples in innovative ways on three activewear or sportswear garments of their own design. They also created novelty zipper pulls to coordinate with the theme and look of their entries. The students, who presented their designs on storyboards, were judged on creativity, originality, and the best use of waterproof zippers in each collection.

Judges included designers Andrew Marc and Marta Brandysiewicz and FIT Fashion Design faculty members Colette Wong, chair, and Josie Vargas, adjunct assistant professor.

“This contest gave our students the opportunity to learn in a professional manner how to develop and present a collection that had specific requirements,” said Marilyn Hefferen, assistant professor of Fashion Design and contest coordinator.

“We thank YCC Zippers for sponsoring this contest and allowing FIT students to demonstrate their creativity,” Hefferen added.

Established in 1995 with headquarters in Shanghai, Your Correct Choice (YCC) Zippers operates 11 factories across China and is expanding worldwide.