Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2019 winners revealed
9 September 2019 − Asia’s leading fashion event CENTRESTAGE, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), concluded on 7 September with the 2019 Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC). This year’s YDC saw a total of three promising local designers awarded out of a pool of 16. Champion Wilson Yip received a monetary reward together with a one-month internship working in the studio of respected Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro, sponsored by Sun Hing Knitting Factory Ltd.
The winners at YDC 2019 were as follows:
Champion and Best Footwear Design Award: Wilson Yip. Design: “Forgetful Still”
First Runner-up: Louis Chow. Design: “Already But Not Yet”
Second Runner-up and New Talent Award: Enzo Chan. Design: “SINCE 1996”
The first prize winner was Wilson Yip with “Forgetful Still”, a whimsical collection inspired by the aesthetic of absentmindedness. Mr Yip also took the Best Footwear Design Award. On receiving the two prizes, he thanked the HKTDC for the opportunity. “I put all of myself into this work and I am glad to be able to share it with tonight’s guests,” he said.
First Runner-up Louis Chow also expressed his gratitude at receiving the prize, saying: “In the design of this collection I strove for newness, and to effectively combine usability and originality.”
Also receiving two awards was Enzo Chan, who said: “The YDC is such a prestigious award and I am thrilled at receiving two prizes. I spent an entire year preparing for this and it’s completely beyond my expectations to receive these awards.”
Judges offer valuable feedback to YDC participants
The judging panel for this year’s YDC was made up of an impressive roster of fashion experts and media pundits. Chief Judge was Lawrence Leung, Chairman of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee, while Mihara Yasuhiro, famous Japanese fashion designer and owner of his own eponymous label, was VIP Judge. The other seats on the panel were taken by Michael Mok, General Merchandising Manager/Head of Merchandising at JOYCE; Jonathan Lee, Senior Area Manager (Asia) of Tomorrow Ltd; Peter Wong, Editorial Director of Vogue Hong Kong; Styling and Art Director Declan Chan; and Virginia Chan, Head of Footwear at i.t apparels Limited.
The judges assessed the young designers’ works based on creativity, originality, market potential, craftsmanship, use of fabrics and overall aesthetics, and offered expert feedback to each of the participants. VIP Judge Mihara Yasuhiro had particular praise for the winning piece, saying that Champion Wilson Yip “managed to paint fashion over the backdrop of everyday life, using elements of daily wear and injecting them with novelty and creativity”.
MINI x YDC Anniversary Collection
Fourteen previous YDC designer brands: 112 mountainyam, ARTO.,Charlotte Ng Studio, DEMO, Fake Fan, FromClothingOf, HARRISON WONG, From Another Planet, KEVIN HO, Lapeewee, NECRO POON, S.F.Z. & Son, YEUNG CHIN and YMDH returned to the YDC stage on Saturday to present a special MINI x YDC fashion show. The NEW MINI CLUBMAN made its first appearance in Hong Kong at this spectacular event to showcase the elegance and creativity shared between the car and the fashion designs. In addition, from 13 September to 8 October, MINI will run the MINI x YDC Anniversary Collection Exhibition at the MINI Tsuen Wan showroom and the YDC 2019 Winning Collection Exhibition at the MINI Wan Chai showroom to enable the public to take a closer look at the skills of the YDC designers.
The YDC has been organised by the HKTDC for more than four decades with the objective of nurturing and promoting young fashion talents. To further promote the international visibility of local Hong Kong designers, in 2012 the HKTDC launched FASHIONALLY.com, an online platform that showcases the work of local labels and talents to link them with global industry insiders and opportunities.
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Designer: Wilson Yip, Wilson Design: “Forgetful Still” Champion and Best Footwear Design Award The design: The designer has created a collection that addresses his own forgetfulness, which he refers to as an aesthetic of absentmindedness, and the structure of the clothing has been redesigned down to the smallest details. The oversized silhouettes and spray-dyed effect denote clumsiness, but the belt in each outfit allows for a smarter look if desired. The collars and hoods of the jackets are detachable, while buttonholes can be used to attach different accessories. The trousers are especially feature-rich, with details such as multiple pockets, exposed seams and lining, and magnetic buttons that automatically snap into place to avoid the embarrassment of the open fly. Champion prizes: (1) A cash award of HK$35,000 (2) A one-month internship at Mihara Yasuhiro Studio, sponsored by Sun Hing Knitting Factory Ltd Best Footwear Design Award prizes: (1) A cash prize of HK$10,000; (2) Collaboration with i.t apparels Ltd to develop an accessory collection to be sold at selected shops under the i.t group Photo download: https://bit.ly/2kBDdif |
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Designer: Louis Chow, Louis Design: “Already But Not Yet” First Runner-up The design: This menswear collection explores the process of design by blurring the boundaries between a finished work and an unfinished garment, inside and outside, front and back. Louis takes familiar silhouettes and adds in new twists, like a blazer with shoulders that expose the lining, attached with a quilted houndstooth scarf. A deconstructed trench coat uses interfacing materials with hand-stitched plaid patterns, while a two-way quilted coat/cape is also made from interfacing fabrics with quilted houndstooth patterns. The trousers feature asymmetrical hems that again highlight the inside-out aesthetic. First Runner-up prizes: (1) A cash prize of HK$25,000; (2) A study trip overseas sponsored by MINI HK Photo download: https://bit.ly/2m6LFql |
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Designer: Enzo Chan, Enzo Design: “SINCE 1996” Second Runner-up and New Talent Award The design: Enzo Chan was born in 1996, and this menswear collection is filled with memories that symbolise his life journey so far. Personal photographs with friends and family are digitally enhanced and turned into embroidery on T-shirts and jackets, and loaded with details both inside and out. The level of care and their prominence show the value of memories for the designer. The oversized silhouettes, multiple layers and subdued grey tones reflect Enzo’s personal style, while the addition of pink is an attempt to inject a sense of youth and vitality. The mix of fabrics is equally diverse, with suiting fabrics, knits and corduroy creating strong textural contrasts. Second Runner-up prizes: (1) A cash prize of HK$20,000 (2) A trip to visit Tomorrow Showroom in London offered by FASHIONALLY New Talent Award prizes: (1) A cash prize of HK$10,000; (2) Mentorship offered by JOYCE Boutique to develop a capsule collection to be sold at one of the JOYCE outlets Photo download: https://bit.ly/2lBMrLH |
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The winners of YDC 2019 and members of the judging panel celebrate on stage. Front row: (from left) YDC 2019 Second Runner-up and New Talent Award winner Enzo Chan; Champion and Best Footwear Design Award winner Wilson Yip; VIP Judge Mihara Yauhiro; and First Runner-up Louis Chow. Second row (third from left): Lawrence Leung, Chairman of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee |
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Photo download: http://bit.ly/2k4NeUY |
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Fourteen previous YDC designer brands were invited to return to the YDC stage to present a special MINI x YDC fashion show. MINI HK will display this Anniversary Collection and the YDC 2019 Winning collection in MINI showrooms:
MINI x YDC Anniversary Collection Exhibition
YDC 2019 Winning Collection Exhibition
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Photo download: https://bit.ly/2kAp4SC |
Websites:
CENTRESTAGE: http://centrestage.com.hk
The 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 contact:
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
About YDC
The YDC aims to promote a new generation of local design talent, while creating opportunities to showcase their collections in front of global and local industry professionals at CENTRESTAGE. Organised by HKTDC, the contest is considered one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the region, with a successful track record of past contestants becoming leading designers for fashion enterprises or their own labels.
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.