Hong Kong has opened up a new promotion platform and launchpad for fashion brands.
The inaugural CENTRESTAGE event was held last month attracting 200 brands from 20 countries and regions to showcase their latest fashion collections.
About 8,300 buyers from 71 countries and regions attended the four-day CENTRESTAGE fair, with nearly 40% of buyers coming from Asia outside Hong Kong.
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, networking events and trend seminars were held during CENTRESTAGE.
Seasoned industry professionals were invited to analyse the latest fashion market trends.
The event provided a launchpad for international, especially Asian, fashion brands and designers to present their collections, while reaffirming Hong Kong’s position as a global fashion capital.
Brand startup
Derek Chan competed in the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest four years ago and was invited to take part in the event again this year as a guest showing his designs.
The contest, running since 1977, has discovered many fine talents for the local fashion industry and has been the cradle for Hong Kong’s designer brands.
It was one of the events under the CENTRESTAGE fashion fair this year.
Chan introduced his collection with an androgyny theme, putting feminine character into menswear.
"You can see a lot of very feminine ladies' fabric, for example lace and tweed fabric. I put it in a menswear cutting to show the inspiration and element of this collection.
"Nowadays men will wear womenswear and also the clothing is quite unisex so I was quite inspired by this concept and also the trend."
He launched his DEMO brand in 2013 and believes his experience in the designers’ contest has helped him to develop his career.
"The Trade Development Council will give us a lot of support, for example, on the business side, and also organises some trade shows and fashion shows which helps us to get more exposure when we are doing our brand. I think these kinds of support, and different funding, they can help me to make my brand successful."
More exposure
Chan said CENTRESTAGE is an improvement on Hong Kong Fashion Week.
"We have a fashion show every day and different people like celebrities and key opinion leaders will come. It looks more like a fashion week and more international, and I think it will help local designers and local brands to feature and develop our brands."
Another local fashion designer Aries Sin said CENTRESTAGE boosts the development of the local fashion industry.
"I really appreciate that they invited overseas buyers to come to Hong Kong, which is quite important for us. When a trade show has no target market or no target buyers, it is meaningless.
"I hope CENTRESTAGE can move forward and get better and better."
Local flavour
To showcase the work of outstanding local designers, CENTRESTAGE show Fashion Mirage gathered 50 local designers to merge five local cultural elements with fashion.
Project Director Simon Choi said they used the word “mirage” to bring out the essence of Hong Kong lifestyle.
"The design direction we divided into five themes - Zen, Cosmopolis, Neon Sign, Floated Colours and Harbour View.
"We use technology to create some computer images, using a lot of Hong Kong cultural elements, to bring out the essence of the designs."
The Hong Kong Design Centre held the Fashion PMQ event last month to also help promote the development of Hong Kong’s fashion industry.
It featured 40 local fashion and accessories designers.
