THESE DAYS, THE trend for young designers is to create something quirky in the hope of getting noticed. But for Hong Kong-based designer Yuen Man-tse, less is more. "I remember reading that French designer Sonia Rykiel once said she always wears the same clothes and has the same hair because it gives her a sense of liberty. She doesn't need to follow trends," says the 32-year-old. "I am very much into this mindset. This feeling of restriction makes designing more interesting." This philosophy is summed up in her new label MVT, which launches in stores later this month for the spring-summer 2014 season. Shorthand for the French word for movement, this is not Tse's first foray into fashion. She co-founded label Magnan & Tse back in 2009, creating bejeweled T-shirts decorated with handmade embroideries, such as glass, brushed metal, chains, sequins, beads and metallic yarns. While her new collection is free of ornamentation, she says it is still connected to her previous work. "The common point between then and now is that I am still doing T-shirts, but it's more about luxury basics. I still believe in creating something timeless and versatile for all women," she says. Tse's style philosophy is, no doubt, inspired by her upbringing in the fashion capital of Paris. Although ethnically Chinese, her grandparents moved from Hong Kong to France in the 1960s. She spent her formative years in the city, connecting with fashion through the industry's most creative platform: haute couture. "My first memories of fashion were haute couture. I remember watching the shows on TV when I was five or six and I was totally fascinated. It's funny, as what I create now is the complete opposite to that," she says. Tse went on to study architecture, and landed a job in Hong Kong in 2006. Although an architect by day, she still felt the need to express her inner fashion identity. So she launched Magnan & Tse with her French friend Catherine Magnan. At the time, the city was just starting to experience a surge in creativity, and Tse was one of a handful of designers to open her own boutique in the now-bustling area of NoHo. Going from designing floor plans to clothing was a big challenge for the novice. "I was designing everything with my business partner, who was more experienced than me. She would do the technical sheets while I would follow production. I had zero experience, so for the first six months I went to Sham Shui Po to source everything. I soon realised that while Hong Kong was the perfect headquarters for any type of production, it wasn't such an inspirational city. I had to be even more active to seek out things that could inspire me," she says. Although the line was picked up by retailers around the world, Tse closed the boutique in 2011. The upkeep was too expensive. She parted ways with her partner and eventually laid Magnan & Tse to rest in 2012. Tse kept herself busy with one-off projects with other fashion labels, including jewellery brand Carat for which she designed a successful range of handbags. Then in the middle of last year, she decided to return to ready-to-wear, but this time her style and look would be completely different. "MVT is not about embroidery at all. And, although it still has the same positioning as Magnan & Tse, it focuses on luxury basics made from natural fabrics, such as silk, organic cotton and viscose. "I also wanted it to be sustainable, so even though I am not working with eco-friendly fabrics I am creating good quality items that you want to keep. I'd describe the style as timeless but modern with an edge. There are a few fashionable pieces to spice up the collection each season," she says. The debut collection, which will be available at retailers including Kapok and Galeries Lafayette Beijing, consists of 27 styles, many of which will reappear in new permutations each season. The silhouettes are simple, but Tse's expertise comes in the details and fit, which will also evolve. One highlight of the line is an oversized biker vest, which comes with chunky zips or in a cropped, white style. Modern basics include jersey skirts, button-down, boyfriend-style blouses and loose tops made from cotton silk, which are super light and easy to wear. All the seams are finished by hand for a polished look. Another one of Tse's favourites is the 1960s-style shift dress, which took a few months and several fittings on friends to develop. There are also several modern variations of the little black dress from a jumpsuit-inspired style with a zip down the middle, to a kimono dress and comfortable jersey number with an asymmetrical hem. While nearly everything comes in a classic colour palette of black and cream, she has also used bold colours including pink, red and yellow, as well as digital prints often taken by Tse. Many of the prints are inspired by nature, from zebra stripes to clouds and flames. "Everything is classic with a touch of something unusual to make it stand out. Architecture really influences me because I am more into the functionality of the clothing. I don't want to change things too radically because I want people to recognise that it is ours," she says. Although Tse uses only the best fabrics from countries like Japan, she says it was important that the price remain affordable, which is why nothing in the collection retails for more than HK$2,000. "Haute couture is good for the dream or to get people interested in fashion, but in today's economy it's just not plausible. What I am proposing is a very basic idea - I want to encourage people to spend on good quality and design at affordable prices. I believe it is part of the sustainability of fashion. "The best thing about it is that consumers can collect these pieces, but also add new ones every season. When you have good fabrics you will respect the clothing more," says Tse, who is developing a luxe silk cashmere for autumn-winter 2014. While she has plans to sell her collection internationally, as with her previous label, she's in no rush. Thanks to Hong Kong's booming designer scene, she is optimistic that the line will resonate with the city's most fashionable citizens. "When I opened the old boutique in 2010 there weren't so many independent designers and people expressing themselves through fashion. It just was not part of the culture. "Today Hongkongers are more curious to try new brands and are looking for new things all the time," she says. "For me, this poses a new challenge as these women have a certain lifestyle and are more demanding because they are aware of what's happening globally. I want to offer them something different that adds to their lifestyle." divia.harilela@scmp.com