Hong Kong Fashion Week To Open In Mid-January

Press Release5 Jan 2017

Hong Kong Fashion Week To Open In Mid-January

1,500+ International Exhibitors; Top Sourcing Platform & Design Showcase

5 January 2017 – The 48^th Hong Kong Fashion Week for Fall/Winter, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held from 16 to 19 January at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The show will welcome more than 1,500 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions, showcasing the latest collections and fashion designs from international brands and an assortment of fabrics and accessories.

Under the theme “Hall of Games”, this year’s Fashion Week for Fall/Winter will incorporate board game elements throughout the fairground to enhance the ambience. During the show, the HKTDC will organise about 20 fashion events, including fashion shows, trend forecasting seminars, buyer forums and networking receptions, providing an excellent platform for buyers to gather the latest market intelligence and source fashion products and accessories.

Thematic zones to meet specific sourcing needs

Countries making their debut at the Fashion Week this year include Italy, Pakistan and Sweden. There will be five pavilions at the fair representing India, Indonesia, Japan, Macau and Pakistan. To help buyers easily identify relevant products and suppliers, the fair will feature a number of thematic zones, including two new zones: Fashionable Sportswear and Denim & Casual Wear. The former will showcase the latest styles for fitness, yoga, and other sports activities while the latter will allow buyers to explore trendy designs for a relaxed lifestyle.

Other highlight zones include Emporium de Mode, dedicated to presenting stylish and distinctive top brands; International Fashion Designers’ Showcase, which will present global designer collections; and Fashion Gallery, which will feature mid- to high-end fashion; as well as Men In Style and Fabrics & Yarn.

Young design talents set to shine

Ten fashion shows, including designers’ collection and brand collection shows will be held during the four-day event. Local fashion website FASHIONALLY will present two fashion shows, inviting young designers from 14 fashion labels to showcase local design talent. Participants will include established names as well as first-time participants, such as Jane Ng, Yeung Chin, Kenson Tam, Winnie Chen and Key Chow.

FASHIONALLY COLLECTION #8, to be held on the opening day, will feature modern, chic womenswear for Fall/Winter 2017. It will be a display of contemporary reinterpretations of feminine aesthetics. Design units set to take part in the show include 112 mountainyam (Designer: Mountain Yam), FromClothingOf (Designer: Shirley Wong), phenotypsetter (Designer: Jane Ng), KEVIN HO, Lapeewee (Designer: Yannes Wong), Blind by JW (Designers: Walter Kong and Jessica Lau) and HANG (Designer: Mim Mak).

Also on the first day, FASHIONALLY COLLECTION #9 will present avant-garde designs for Fall/Winter 2017 that challenge the status quo for both men and women designs. Participating designers will include MODEMENT (Designer: Aries Sin), YEUNG CHIN, KENSON (Designer: Kenson Tam), SHERMAN KWAN, DEMO (Designer: Derek Chan), Winnie Witt (Designer: Winnie Chen) and Ka Wa Key (Designer: Key Chow).

Other fashion shows include the Brand Collections’ Show, which will feature the collections of such local labels as Ika Butoni and Artistic Palace, Chinese Arts & Crafts’ sub-brand. Chinese Arts & Crafts will showcase its exquisite cheongsam, traditional Chinese clothing and high-end bespoke collections that highlight fine traditional craftsmanship. As for the Designers’ Collection Show, participating brands will include Ophee’s (by Hong Kong designer Agnes Wong), ENGELEENA (by New Zealand designer Engeleena Padyachi), Vanilla Gate-Gala (from Thailand) as well as Bernadette Chan (Hong Kong designer brand).

For products, Italian brand SALTO will display its collection of eco-leather silver pleated skirts, fully designed and manufactured in Italy. Japanese designer Hikami Masahiro will feature his children’s shoes brand, NINOS, an amalgamation of nearly 70 years of traditional craftsmanship and delicate designs. The brand uses soft fabric and natural leather that is safety certified. Pakistan company Umar Garments Printing will bring its screen printing technology, which allows colourful designs to be meticulously reproduced.

Experts examine trends and industry developments

During the fair, the HKTDC will organise a series of thematic seminars and buyer forums, inviting industry experts to share their insights and ideas on the latest trends and topics. Experts from leading international fashion forecaster Fashion Snoops will be on site to share their forecast and analysis of the fashion trends for menswear and womenswear for Spring/Summer 2018.

Other thematic seminars will include “The Wool Lab S/S 18”, presented by The Woolmark Company; “ZALORA: Navigating the Wave of Omni-Channel Retailing”; and “Knitting Tech – From Materials to Finishing”, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA). A networking reception on day one of the show will provide an excellent opportunity for industry players to expand their contacts.

The 48^th Hong Kong Fashion Week for Fall/Winter will take place from 16 to 19 January at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This year’s show will feature more than 1,500 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions, showcasing the latest collections and fashion designs from international brands and an assortment of fabrics and accessories

Local fashion website FASHIONALLY will host two fashion shows on the first day—FASHIONALLY COLLECTION #8 and FASHIONALLY COLLECTION #9. Fourteen local designer brands will showcase their Fall/Winter 2017 collections. Participating designers include established names as first-time participants, including Jane Ng, Yeung Chin, Kenson Tam, Winnie Chen and Key Chow

Yeung Chin was the winner of the Top Creative Award at the 2003 Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC). After honing his skills for 10 years, Mr Yeung established his eponymous brand in 2013 and debuted at the New York Fashion Week in 2015.

Yeung's designs are highlighted by a mixture of textures and unconventional choice of fabrics.

Key Chow was winner of the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award and the Hong Kong Fashion Designers’ Association Talent Award. He was also a finalist in a series of esteemed international competitions, including Vogue Talents, LVMH Graduates’ Prize and the H&M Design Award.

Mr Chow further honed his skills during a short stint at JW Anderson before launching his namesake label.

He is famed for using complex knit and lace fabrics to enhance his signature “twink”-like aesthetics, offering a fresh outlook on menswear.

Central Saint Martin graduate Winnie Chen exemplifies what it means to be a designer unrestricted by borders.

Having worked at Alexander McQueen in London and Kate Spade in New York, Ms Chen took the next step in her career this year and launched her label Winnie Witt. The brand reflects her edgy, global perspective in fashion.

A recent graduate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kenson Tam was a finalist at this year's YDC.

Fascinated by menswear, Mr Tam’s pieces are colourful, cartoony and romantic with playful embellishments.

Designer Jane Ng has a penchant for manipulating fabrics and turning them into works of art. She twists, ties and wraps different fabrics together until they take on a life of their own.

Ms Ng opened her first shop at PMQ in 2014.

Fair Websites:

Hong Kong Fashion Week for Fall/Winter: http://www.hktdc.com/fair/hkfashionweekfw-en/

Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC): http://www.fashionally.com/en/YDC/about

Other downloads:

FASHIONALLY COLLECTION #8 Fashion Parade: Introduction of seven participating design units

FASHIONALLY COLLECTION #9 Fashion Parade: Introduction of seven participating design units

Media Enquiries

Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:

Joe Kainz Tel: (852) 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

Media Registration: Media representatives wishing to cover the event may register on-site with their business cards and/or media identification.

To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc

About the HKTDC

Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong’s businesses. 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, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international 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.