YDC 2019 finalists announced, Mihara Yasuhiro as VIP judge

15 August 2019 – The 2019 Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) will see 16 up-and-coming fashion talents shortlisted to compete for five grand prizes as well as prestigious internships, study trips and mentorships with top brands. The designers’ creations will be assessed by a panel of respected industry professionals, with internationally renowned fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro acting as this year’s VIP judge.

Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), YDC 2019 will be held on Saturday, 7 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) as the finale of the annual CENTRESTAGE fashion showcase. Past YDC designers will make an appearance at the YDC contest, showcasing new and exclusive collections created in partnership with MINI Hong Kong (MINI).

YDC 2019: showcasing the future of Hong Kong fashion
The five winners of YDC 2019 will be unveiled at a presentation ceremony on the last day of CENTRESTAGE. Sixteen finalists will present collections that have employed different design elements and special fabrication techniques to express creativity. The shortlisted works include:  Louis Lee’s Earthly Redemption, Enzo Chan’s SINCE 1996, Hannah Wong’s ma tenue, Kenny Tien’s Accident or Incident, Tiffany Chan’s The Sower, Wilson Yip’s Forgetful Still, Kelly Lau’s Hope-Kinetics, Louis Chow’s Already But Not Yet, Man Chun Hei’s Self, Simon Cheng’s Galactic Fireworks, Kenneth Tsang’s Juncture Reborn, Kayan Lam’s Jeux Olympiques, Cyrus Chan’s Masterbae, Andy Chiu’s Synthesis, Lion Sze’s Farmer, and Vivian Tam’s messy messy.

Playful fashion shoots capture local creativity
YDC carried out a fashion shoot staged specially to showcase the finalists’ collections, taking the theme of famous Hong Kong advertisements from the 1980s and 90s to highlight the unique aesthetic of the city’s fashion.

The 16 finalists are vying for some valuable prizes, with the top three winners being rewarded with internships or overseas study trips sponsored by Hong Kong’s Sun Hing Knitting Factory Ltd, MINI and local online fashion hub FASHIONALLY. Meanwhile, winners of the Best Footwear Design Award and the New Talent Award will receive mentorships from i.t apparels Ltd and JOYCE to develop their own unique capsule collections.

Industry heavyweights join judging panel
This year’s YDC winners will be selected by an esteemed panel of judges comprising senior industry and media representatives. The panel is led by Lawrence Leung, Chairman of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee, who will be joined by Michael Mok, Head of Merchandising at JOYCE, Vogue Hong Kong Chief Editor Peter Wong, Stylist and Art Director Declan Chan, Tomorrow Ltd Senior Area Manager Jonathan Lee and i.t. apparels Ltd Head of Footwear Virginia Chan. The panel members will provide insightful critiques to all the finalists.

Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro has been invited as the YDC 2019 VIP judge. Mihara Yasuhiro always thinks out of the box to bring a playful theme to each of the garments in his collections, with designs that attract attention through some unique and surprising ideas. Mr Yasuhiro is the founder of MIHARA YASUHIRO, his eponymous brand, which is distributed worldwide by more than 70 stores and stockists including leading retailers such as Selfridges, Harrods, SSENSE and Hong Kong’s I.T and JOYCE.

Past YDC designers showcase MINI x YDC Anniversary Collection
To celebrate the MINI’s 60^th anniversary, 14 previous YDC designers have been invited to return to the YDC stage to present a special MINI x YDC fashion show. This unique collection is inspired by the features of classic MINI models over the past six decades. The show will be launched alongside the NEW MINI CLUBMAN to create a spectacular event that showcases both the beauty of the car and the creativity of local designers. In addition, a brand new MINI 60 Years Edition painted in classic British Racing Green will make an appearance at the post-YDC party. Participating brands include: 112 mountainyam, ARTO.,Charlotte Ng Studio, DEMO, Fake Fan, FromClothingOf,  HARRISON WONG,  KENAXLEUNG, KEVIN HO, Lapeewee, NECRO POON, S.F.Z. & Son, YEUNG CHIN and YMDH.

JOYCE x YEUNG SHUN LEONG Capsule Collection
Yeung Shun Leong, winner of the YDC 2018 New Talent Award sponsored by JOYCE, is set to launch his first collaboration collection with the renowned fashion retailer. Based on his YDC winning collection, Mr Yeung has taken his inspiration from mixed martial arts (MMA) and other sporting elements while applying techniques such as piece dyeing, stone-washing and waxing to create a functional yet creative collection. This capsule collection will launch at JOYCE Pacific Place in late August.

YDC 2019 finalists and designs − photo download: https://bit.ly/2Kywzm6

YDC 2019 VIP judge Mihara Yasuhiro photo download: https://bit.ly/2Z2ta4c

JOYCE x YEUNG SHUN LEONG Capsule Collection photo download: https://bit.ly/2Z0kVpa

Fair websites:
CENTRESTAGE: http://centrestage.com.hk
Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC): http://www.fashionally.com

Media enquiries
For more information or to request interviews, please email centrestage2019@leewolter.com.hk

Or call:
Jude Ji                       Tel: (852) 9696 0110
Vincent Lam               Tel: (852) 9843 9180
Joseph Chow              Tel: (852) 9400 5775
Tracy On                    Tel: (852) 9018 7109

HKTDC's Communications and Public Affairs Department
Snowy Chan             Tel: (852) 2584 4537          email：snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org
Agnes Wat                Tel: (852) 2584 4554          email：agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

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

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.