Young Fashion Designers’ Contest Winners Announced
11 September 2016 – The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2016 awards ceremony took place yesterday (10 Sep), with Kenneth Cheung named Champion. He received a cash prize and a one-month internship programme at international fashion brand FACETASM in Japan. The winners of the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2016 are:
Champion: Kenneth Cheung: “No Country for Old Man”
First Runner-up: Lee Tak-shing: “Addendum”
Second Runner-up and Best Footwear & Accessories Design Award: Gim Wong: “Backpacker”
All the winning items will be displayed at HMV’s flagship store at Causeway Bay from 12 to 25 September.
Kenneth Cheung, the overall champion of the YDC, was overwhelmed by the result, and expressed heartfelt gratitude to his colleagues, mentor and company for their guidance and support. When asked about the essence of his design, Mr Cheung explained, “I have intentionally incorporated military elements into my design by adding electric red embroidery to create a contrast to the muted palette of green, dark blue and brown hues, leaving a strong impression on the judging panel.”
Designer Gim Wong was awarded the second runner-up and the Best Footwear & Accessories Design Award in the YDC. She was surprised by the result as it was only her second time participating in a fashion competition. Showing strong enthusiasm for fashion design, Ms Wong aspires to pursue her career in the industry. She also encouraged young fashion talent to join the YDC, which is one of the most prominent competitions in the industry, to gain more hands-on experience.
International Panel
YDC 2016 invited Hiromichi Ochiai, designer for hot Japanese fashion label FACETASM, to be the VIP judge. This year, Mr Ochiai became the first Japanese designer to reach an LVMH Prize final. He launched his own label, FACETASM, in 2007 and held the brand’s first fashion show four years later. At the 13th Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix in 2013, Mr Ochiai received the Shiseido Award for best new designer of the year. Last year, he presented his 2016 spring/summer collection at Georgio Armani’s ARMANI / TEATRO at Milan Fashion Week.
Mr Ochiai praised the overall performance of YDC designers and said that all fabrics used in the competition were exceptional. He said he saw a lot of effort on display and added that the YDC champion had balanced both creativity and marketability into his design.
Apart from VIP judge Hiromichi Ochiai, other senior industry and media representatives joined the judging panel. Lawrence Leung, Chairman of HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee, was the Chief Judge. Other judges included Federico Tan, Director, social/capital; Bonnie Lam, Vice President, YOHO! Media Division; Reeds Yau, Director, Creative & Visual Merchandising, ImagineX Group; Jonathan Lee, Senior Buyer, Shine Trading (HK) Ltd; and Virginia Chan, Head of Footwear, i.t apparels Ltd. The judges selected the best works based on creativity and originality, market potential, workmanship, use of fabrics and overall visual appeal.
During the final round of competition, in addition to 17 finalists competing on stage, four past YDC designers who have established their own brands, showcased their latest Capsule Collections. The four designers were MODEMENT by Aries Sin, Kevin Ho, Kurt Ho and DEMO. by Derek Chan. The Hong Kong & Kowloon Textile Fabrics Wholesalers Association sponsored all the fabrics used in the collections, giving the four designers a valuable opportunity to try new fabrics and come up with innovative designs to excite the audience.
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the YDC has discovered many talented designers over the years. This year, the YDC was one of the highlights of the inaugural CENTRESTAGE, which ended yesterday (10 September).
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Kenneth Cheung: “No Country for Old Man” Champion The Design: Making a case for respecting our heritage, Kenneth Cheung uses classic chequered wool fabrics “sewn” together using supersonic, stitch-free techniques. A piece of electric red embroidery adds contrast to the muted palette of military green, dark blue and brown hues. Relatively modern elements such as pockets and water-resistant fabric enhance functionality. The designer pulls off the counter-intuitive feat of marrying timeless tailored design with innovative sportswear techniques, artfully resolving the conflict between the old and the new and reconfirming that classics will never go out of date. Prizes: (1) Cash Prize of HK$35,000; (2) An internship programme at international fashion brand FACETASM, sponsored by Sun Hing Knitting Factory Ltd.
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Lee Tak-shing: “Addendum” First Runner-up The Design: In his latest collection, Lee Tak-shing seeks to highlight the passage of time using the concepts of war and destruction. The interplay between washing and distressing techniques used on indigo and military green fabric symbolises annihilation. The silhouettes are decisively organic, featuring inventive pattern-cutting techniques that transform conventional garment structures into radical forms. The liberal use of folds and drapes results in a volatile synthesis of structure, form and function. Prizes: (1) Cash Prize of HK$25,000; (2) One month overseas study trip sponsored by FASHIONALLY |
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Gim Wong: “Backpacker” Second Runner-up and Best Footwear & Accessories Design Award The Design: A dedication to practicality and style is exemplified in Gim Wong’s collection. Inspired by the all-important map for backpackers, this motif crops up throughout her designs in blue, white and grey colour palettes. Each item is cut from a single piece of fabric, resulting in the absence of side seams and optimising the zero-waste principle. Ingeniously designed zips, straps and drawstrings serve as functional embellishments that spice up the shape and structure of the pieces. Designed for outdoor excursions, the collection uses wool and nylon which will keep wearers warm and dry. Prizes of Second Runner-up: (1) Cash Prize of HK$20,000; (2) One month overseas study trip sponsored by YOHO! Magazine Prizes of Best Footwear & Accessories Design Award: (1) Cash Prize of HK$10,000; Limited edition sale of winning collection at selected shops under i.t group sponsored by i.t apparels Ltd. The award aims at commending designers with a talent on footwear and accessories design. |
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At the final, in addition to 17 finalists competing on stage, four past YDC designers who have established their own brands showcased their latest Capsule Collections. The four designers were (start from left): DEMO. by Derek Chan, Kurt Ho, Kevin Ho and MODEMENT by Aries Sin. |
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The judges receive souvenirs from HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong (fourth from right) |
Winners of YDC 2016 on stage |
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Websites
FASHIONALLY：www.fashionally.com
CENTRESTAGE：http://centrestage.com.hk
Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Joe Kainz Tel: (852) 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc
About the HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.