Sixteen up-and-coming companies, most of them from Asia, are showcasing their products in the new Designers' Gallery at the Asia Pacific Leather Fair. 'This is the first time we have had the Designers' Gallery at the fair. The aim is to give companies known for original designs a bit more exposure,' said Perrine Ardouin, senior event manager for Asia Pacific Leather Fair, the organiser. Companies from Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea and France are taking part. They are showing leather garments, footwear, luggage and handbags. 'The rest of the fair is divided according to products, but in the Designers' Gallery we wanted to have an assortment of different items,' Ms Ardouin said. 'We tried to pick companies that are not so well known, but the main criteria for all of them was original design.' Some of the companies are known for leather items while others specialise in plastic, rattan or aluminium goods. Hong Kong-based Quintana (Hong Kong), a manufacturer of medium-priced leather and non-leather fashion handbags, expects business at the fair to be brisk. 'We believe a lot of buyers and wholesalers will come,' said Serena Fok Fung-bing, general manager of the 10-year-old company. She said her company would launch five to six new autumn collections of bags for spring and autumn. The company sells to buyers and wholesalers in Europe, the United States, South America and Asia. Chateau Anne Group, another Hong Kong company in the Designers' Gallery, is introducing several new handbag collections under the company's La Tour Eiffel brand. The company designs and manufactures bags made from leather and polyvinylchloride (PVC). 'We make the full range of bags, from casual to dressy,' said Daisy Yu Mei-yuk, a director of the company. Chateau Anne is also launching a new collection of stainless steel furniture which it sells under the same La Tour Eiffel brand name. 'This collection is a new concept that combines stainless steel and leather,' Ms Yu said. The Designers' Gallery occupies the Atrium 2 space at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
