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Hong Kong Faces

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Breaking into the world of fashion design is, of course, difficult, says Baldwin Pui Bing-wang, who needed more than just his personal savings to get started. Using his free time to submit entries to design competitions eventually served to send him on his way.

Leaving a company job to create his own fashion brand brought a 33-year-old designer a sense of freedom that reminded him of his childhood. And Baldwin Pui Bing-wang used the inspiration to create his first designer bag collection entitled Recess.

His design philosophy, which focuses on the exploration and expression of local culture, including the use of paper cuts in his fashion, has served him well in starting his own strikingly original fashion brand, Hoiming, together with his partner.

Citing his carefree childhood in Yuen Long as one of his main inspirations, Pui speaks fondly of days when a dearth of toys inspired a boundless imagination.

Such nostalgia invigorated Pui's creativity in fashion design.

The Kowloon Tong studio he shares with his partner testifies to his sources of inspiration - a brightly painted traditional Chinese kite in the shape of a goldfish hangs off the door while a kick-ball sits on the floor.

Originally hoping to work in graphic design, Pui found fashion garnered the best grades and appreciation. When he graduated from Polytechnic University, he worked for a knitwear company. He juggled his daytime job by continually entering design competitions, despite the demanding hours.

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