Taipei City Government

On December 23, Mayor Ko Wen-je visited Wufenpu, where he transformed into a “middle-aged trendy man” in a bid to promote Taipei’s low-priced clothing fashion.

The mayor completed his look at a bargain price of merely NT$3,000 from a 20-minute shopping at the garment wholesale hub. The items he purchased include a white hoodie, black pants, a black cap, and a pair of white sandals, which he wore to attend the “2017 Wufenpu COOL Runway Show” taking place at Jinan Temple.

As the event reached a climax of the event, Ko walked the catwalk dressed in the new apparel and struggled to pose like a model at the request of the event host. Wearing a wry smile, he joked that it is becoming ever more difficult to be a mayor nowadays. Amazed at his fresh new look, the mayor said he would like to go to work in the outfit, noting that the comfortable slippers would make him walk faster.

Ko took the opportunity to underscore the importance of innovation for Wufenpu to secure a place in the competitive local fast-fashion clothing market. He reckoned that it is pivotal to inject more design thinking into Wufenpu for it to become a fashion trendsetter of Taiwan.

The 2017 Wufenpu COOL Runway Show attracted the participation of students from fashion and textiles related departments of Yu Da High School of Commerce and Home Economics, Dao Jiang Senior High School of Nursing & Home Economics, Nengren High School of Commerce and Home Economics, and Fu Jen Catholic University. Highlights of the event include a model dress-up and makeover contest using clothing and accessories available at Wufenpu, allowing the budding designers to exert their creativity.