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Hong Kong design lights up New York runway

Long regarded as the launchpad for emerging designers among the major fashion weeks, this past New York Fashion Week again played host to Hong Kong designers who dazzled the big apple with their creativity and vision.

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As part of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s (HKTDC) ongoing Fashion Hong Kong initiative to promote Hong Kong design on the international stage, three Hong Kong fashion labels launched their Fall/Winter 2018 collections at New York Fashion Week on February 9. The runway show, which attracted a packed audience including more than 500 buyers, media representatives and fashion bloggers, was also live-streamed on the HKTDC Facebook, allowing fashionistas from around the world to catch the show in real time.

A star-studded audience

Well known New Yorkers and fashionistas attended the Fashion Hong Kong runway show, including artists Philip Tabor, Masika Kalysha, Rydel Lynch and designer Genevieve Gorder.

ELLE Italy, ELLE Spain, WWD, FashionWeekOnline.com and The Daily Front Row were among the major fashion media attending the show.

ANVEGLOSA
Titled “L’Opéra”, this collection is a celebration of theatrical arts and a feminine expression of creativity.

Wearable theatricality

The three Hong Kong designer labels featured on the runway have distinct visions but also share a common thread. Not only does their excellent workmanship appeal to those who demand quality in every stitch, their creative ingenuity also shines through their dramatic layering and use of innovative materials.

They were ANVEGLOSA, established by Annette Chan; Harrison Wong’s eponymous label HARRISON WONG; and HEAVEN PLEASE+, which was formed by the design duo of Yi Chan and Lary Cheung.

ANVEGLOSA, established by self-taught designer and tailor Annette Chan, reflects her definition of good taste using quality materials, figure flattering cuts and exquisite craftsmanship. ANVEGLOSA uses only the finest leathers imported from the best tanneries in Europe, and produces everything from its Hong Kong factory to achieve the best quality and give attention to every detail.

Designer Harrison Wong, no stranger to the international fashion weeks, has launched his collections in runway shows in New York, Milan, Tokyo, Sydney, Shanghai, Taipei and Hong Kong. His eponymous label offers contemporary apparel and accessories for fashion lovers with an edgy, aggressive design philosophy complemented with an understated elegance.

Yi Chan and Lary Cheung launched the first HEAVEN PLEASE+ collection in Fall/Winter 2012. The design duo incorporates art, music, and literature into fashion design, creating clothing from a unique perspective while injecting attitude and individuality into every item.

After the show, the HKTDC organised a reception at The High Line Hotel, to create networking opportunities for designers to meet with fashion industry representatives. More than

250 buyers, industry players and media reporters were treated to a fashion presentation. New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs also showed the city’s support for the event.

HARRISON WONG
The inspiration behind this collection “Gradations” came from mid-20th century abstract expressionist Mark Rothko, whose powerful paintings comprise blurred blocks of vibrant colours with blacks and greys.

Professional showroom fostering exchange and collaboration

Behind the glitz and glamour of runway shows are professional showrooms–the backbone of fashion weeks. The Fashion Hong Kong Showroom at Showroom Seven, a B2B showroom set up during February 7-20 at New York Fashion Week, welcomed a large number of visitors who were eager to find out more about Hong Kong fashion.

In addition to the three runway labels, 13 other up-and-coming Hong Kong fashion brands: a o g p, BIG HORN, Ejj Jewellery, FAVEbyKennyLi, FREQUENT FLYER, Heritage ReFashioned, LAByrinth, L’impression du temps, LOOM LOOP, MASE, NICI HARMONIC, niin and SHOKAY, were also showcased.

In particular, Heritage ReFashioned and LOOM LOOP featured eco-fashion, with the former transforming upcycled vintage textile into sustainable fashion clutches; while the latter exploring Canton silk, a traditional fabric that uses natural dyeing techniques, for contemporary fashion.

HEAVEN PLEASE+
Inspired by the novel Wrong Number written by renowned Hong Kong writer Liu Yichang, the brand’s Fall/Winter 2018 collection “DäCuòLe Vol. I”, meaning “wrong number” in Chinese, is a re-mix of 50’s Western style and Hong Kong high fashion.

New platforms to promote Hong Kong fashion

For February’s events in New York, Fashion Hong Kong partnered with Klook, a local travel start-up, to introduce Hong Kong’s unique fashion design to lifestyle travellers worldwide. Another digital start-up VirtualCyte produced the first 360-degree making-of video for Hong Kong designers at New York Fashion Week.

In addition, FashionWeekOnline.com, which is regarded as the insiders’ guide to international fashion weeks, launched a Hong Kong section to promote emerging Hong Kong designers and HKTDC fashion events.
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