Chunru Li uses her fashion design for public welfare

11/29/2023 CATVUS 美國華人電視

San Marino High School student Chunru Li (third from right) participated in the “Rigs & Exotics Toy Drive Event for OC Autism Foundation”

News by Chinese American Television (CATVUS). Chunru Li is a 16-year-old San Marino High School student who has loved painting since childhood, and has made remarkable progress in fashion design after entering the OHT Fashion Design Academy to study fashion design with her teacher, Ms. Lisa. She said that she wants to use her fashion design works to serve social welfare and vulnerable groups. In order to realize this wish, on October 8, 2023, she brought her fashion design works to participate in the Rigs & Exotics Toy Drive Event for OC Autism Foundation with 14 other high school fashion designers for the theme of environmental protection. This activity was jointly initiated by several organizations: Xinli Foundation, Orange County Autism Foundation, California Red Cross, American Cancer Society, and Sports Basement Inc. in Sports Basement’s parking lot at the Irvine of Orange County.

Chunru Li (fourth from right) in the Rigs & Exotics Toy Drive Event for OC Autism Foundation

Chunru Li (second from right) in the Rigs & Exotics Toy Drive Event for OC Autism Foundation

Nearly a thousand community members from all over Southern California came to the venue. After several student models performed the fashion show on the main stage, Chunru Li walked lightly through the red carpet with her designed denim dress and other outfits, each time accompanied by a passionate melody. She presented her highly creative fashion works to the hundreds of guests. Chunru Li’s fashion works are unique and refreshing because of the combination of several fabrics. Her beautiful designs and fantastic fashion show won waves of applause. Ms. Lisa is the teacher of OHT Fashion Design Academy. She graduated from Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts and Design, Department of Textile and Fashion Design. Ms. Lisa gave high praise for Chunru Li’s art works, saying, “Chunru Li is a very hard-working student. Although she studied fashion design in a short time, she is not afraid of hardship and insists on learning fashion design in our academy while completing her high school classwork. Therefore, she achieved such an excellent accomplishment in today’s performance.”

San Marino High School student Chunru Li in the fashion show

San Marino High School student Chunru Li in the indoor fashion show

San Marino High School student Chunru Li in the fashion show

Chunru Li felt so proud of her performance on that day. In her interview, she said, “I’m really happy to be here, because I feel like this is a really great part of the community. I’m really happy to help others. I started out as an artist when I was a little, and then I grew more into art. Until now, I am actually doing AP Art in school and outside school for my portfolio, and then I discovered my love for fashion design too recently. Maybe two years ago, I’ve started doing more fashion pieces. I think this is just a really nice way to be creative, because these days right now, all the fashion has been evolving; like each year it is evolving. I am just really happy to be creative and create pieces, so for Lisa’s class, it is actually the first time I’ve ever taken a fashion class. And then, she has helped me along the way a lot because I’ve actually never really used a sewing machine before, and then she helped me grow and help me with all of the human anatomy. And it is just a really great experience, and I love her class really much. So, one of our themes for today was using denim, mostly jeans, or outerwear, and we created them into fabulous pieces. And it was a really amazing experience and seeing everyone’s creative ideas was also amazing as well, and I am inspired to do more of the sustainable fashion in the future.”

Chunru Li has been keen on painting since the age of three. Through several years of diligent learning, her paintings have been recognized by the community. Therefore, she won the Mayor Honorable Mention of El Monte in 2016. In the fall of 2023, when she studied at San Marino High School, she planned to apply for an AP Art class, but her request was rejected by her teacher because she did not attend an Advanced Art class before. After she heard that, she voluntarily wrote an email to the teacher and explained the situation. In her email, she submitted her paintings to show that her standards meet the AP class, and promised to work hard on her art class. As a result, the teacher approved her to attend the AP Art class and commissioned her to design the poster for San Marino High School. By doing that, her art teacher affirmed her efforts.

San Marino High School student Chunru Li participates in a talent show

Chunru Li is a versatile student. On May 12, 2019, she attended the TACAS Chinese New Year Music Festival held by Lisa Music Studio at the Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina where she received the “Certificate of Community Service” for her Chinese cultural and Erhu musical performance. In the summer of 2020, she attended an online course at the Interlochen Center for the Arts and won the Intermediate Division Participation Certificate of the Visual Arts.

San Marino High School student Chunru Li won the award

In 2021, Chunru Li attended the online course at the Interlochen Center for the Arts again and was praised. In the commendation letter received by her parents, the Center’s Provost said, “Dear parents and families: Thank you for choosing to send your student to lnterlochen Online this summer. While this summer did not happen exactly as we would have planned, our online season was filled with amazing accomplishments by each Interlochen student. Enclosed you will find a certificate recognizing your student’s participation in their transformative summer arts program.”

Chunru Li has always insisted on improving her talents in various aspects. Before attending Ms. Lisa’s fashion design class in the OHT Fashion Design Academy, she studied fine arts at the West California Academy of Art and Design from 2014-2021. In 2018, her painting won the Mayor Award and the Outstanding Work Award. From 2014-2017, she studied skating at the Pasadena Ice Skating Center and won third place in the competition of 2014. She studied model runway skills at the John Casablanca College between 2015-2016, and at the M3-JMK Modeling Media Academy between 2021-2023. From 2021-2023, she studied how to sketch and make her portfolio at the Pasadena Art School.

San Marino High School student Chunru Li won the awards

In 2023, Chunru Li attended the summer camp at the Parsons School of New York, and she received 3 credits for Fashion Styling (pre-college). In 2023, she went to UCLA for the Design Summer Institute in Costume Design and received three credits. She earned these credits in order to apply to the university and fashion design school for the next year. Where there is a will, there is a way. May Chunru Li enter her dream university according to her excellent academic performance and for making great contributions to society.

San Marino High School student Chunru Li won the award