Local designers are challenging the industry's status quo
A wave of local labels are daring to take on an industry built on tradition and history
Tucked away on a clothes rack at The Talent Shop at PMQ in Central is a menswear collection by emerging label The World Is Your Oyster. Founded in 2014 by Calvin Chan and Joyce Kun, the label uses elements of traditional tailoring with a boyish sportswear twist.
Although inspired by and, in many ways, echoing the history of Western tailoring, the label eschews tradition to chart new aesthetic territory. Pieces include a sleeveless trench coat with exaggerated lapels, a pinstripe T-shirt with oversized sleeves, and a pair of crisp shorts that fall just above the knee.
Together with a series of other emerging Chinese labels, The World Is Your Oyster is part of a dissenting movement that seeks to break free from menswear's status quo.
"We are fond of traditional suiting and tailoring. But as the world has been ever-changing, the style of dressing for men has been developed into a rather less formal way," says Kun.
"Men do not always dress in a suit and tie. So we wanted to redefine traditional menswear and suiting in a modern way. Our vision of menswear embraces the characteristic of formal tailoring with a touch of street wear elements from a youngsters' influence."