Chef unveils skills with cloth as 'unisex' collection hits catwalk
He can fashion some fine Chinese dishes, but can Calvin Yeung Ka-wang dish up some fine Chinese fashion? The ultra-creative chef and former Aqua Group partner has now decided to dabble in clothes design too, with his first fashion show last Thursday.
Not one to tread the usual path, Yeung's One Design collection - about 40 pieces of modern Chinese sophistication - was shown at the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Science on Caine Lane.
'My collection is quite unisex,' Yeung said. 'I have been thinking about going into fashion for a long time. I've been very curious about this field. People have a deep-rooted image of me as a chef, so it's nice to change that a bit. But my fashion philosophy is exactly the same as my cooking philosophy: I am very loyal to my ideas and beliefs.'
And the look is inspired by traditional Chinese chic, with lots of cheongsam looks. However, if you drop by Yeung's Wang Workshop Group office on Old Bailey Street - where his Thai restaurant O Sip Hah used to be - you won't find any ready to wear.
'Every piece is made to order ... in Shanghai.'
Yeung isn't leaving the restaurant business altogether. He bought out his first establishment, Shui Hu Ju, from the Aqua Group and the Thursday fashion show also doubled as the Chinese eatery's 10th anniversary. Yes, guests were treated to a nice little buffet. 'I have a deep affection for the place,' he said.
