Asia's Fashion Showcase CENTRESTAGE Opens

Latest collections from local and international fashion brands converge with metaverse experience

HONG KONG, Sept 9, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - CENTRESTAGE, Asia's premier fashion event organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by Create Hong Kong* of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. A number of renowned and emerging fashion brands from Hong Kong and overseas are presenting their spring/summer 2023 collections during the three-day event, which is open to industry participants and the general public free of charge. Visitors have the opportunity to browse and shop for the latest designs from around the world, with some brands offering exclusive discounts.

Three thematic areas support brands' business expansion

Entering its seventh year, CENTRESTAGE has adopted "Inclusion and Diversity" as its theme in 2022, highlighting individuality and self-expression. The event is playing host to more than 240 brands from 15 countries and regions, including newly participating brands from Hong Kong such as 30menu, athenaeum(m.), Kowloon City Boy, Louise Castle, Natacha Van, PSY LAU, The Life Etc. and VO-YAGE. Exhibitors from other countries and regions include Koradior (Mainland China), C/W COLLECTIVE (Macao), HARIO Lampwork Factory (Japan), Stevie Crowne (UK), CEANNIS (Sweden), Dal Duca (Italy), Thierry Rabotin (Italy) and more. Three thematic zones feature a broad spectrum of designs and styles: METRO presents the leisure aspects of urban life; ICONIC represents modern, chic and avant-garde design; and ALLURE showcases the elegance and refinement of design excellence and craftsmanship. Visitors are free to explore and shop in this comprehensive one-stop fashion arcade.

The HKTDC has proactively engaged local and overseas fashion buyers to support CENTRESTAGE exhibitors in expanding their businesses. Local buyers such as Lane Crawford, Joyce, Next Sourcing, Palmers and online fashion store Farfetch have a physical presence at the event. In addition, online business meetings have been arranged to match exhibitors with fashion buyers from the mainland and overseas, including industry heavyweights Signe Du Temps from France, A PEBBLE by LABELHOOD from the mainland, Harry & Co from Korea, and NM International from Thailand.

Various fashion brands unveil their latest designs

A series of fashion shows are being held during the fair period, with the spotlight opening gala show, CENTRESTAGE ELITES, taking place this evening. The opening ceremony will be officiated by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR. Immediately afterwards, DEMO, the Hong Kong label co-founded by Derek Chan and Mite Chan, will be joined by Children of the discordance, established by Japanese designer Hideaki Shikama, to present their spring/summer 2023 collections. The runway show marks the debut fashion presentation in Hong Kong for Mr Shikama, who is renowned for deconstructing and repurposing old fabrics into refined patchwork pieces. Louise Wong, winner of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer, will be guest model at the event, strutting down the runway in an outfit from DEMO's latest collection.

Following CENTRESTAGE ELITES, the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show will run on the "Sustainable Fashion" theme, featuring six local designers that have participated in various international fashion weeks, including 112 mountainyam (by Mountain Yam), ANGUS TSUI (by Angus Tsui), Bettie Haute Couture (by Bettie Jiang), BLIND by JW (by Jessica Lau & Walter Kong), SUN=SEN (by Sun Lam), and V VISSI (by Vickie Au). These designers have collaborated with Hong Kong textile enterprise Novetex Textiles Limited to create environmentally-friendly Spring/Summer 2023 collections using upcycled fabrics made from The Billie System, a waterless textile recycling system developed locally. During the fair period, Fashion Hong Kong Studio (Booth number 1C-C07) will collect and upcycle unwanted white 100% cotton T-shirts or polo shirts from visitors. The first 100 donors will receive a limited-edition souvenir made from upcycled materials.

Serving as a platform to promote local design talents, FASHIONALLY Collection #19 features a number of Hong Kong brands, including ARTO., CAR|2IE, FromClothingof, KEVIN HO, Lapeewee, REDEMPTIVE and WHY. The other three FASHIONALLY presentations are being held on 9 and 10 September, giving the opportunity to three emerging local fashion brands - Wilsonkaki and first-time exhibitors Kowloon City Boy and VO-YAGE - to showcase their latest collections.

Another initiative to discover the fashion stars of the future is the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC) 2022, the final will be held on the evening of 11 September. VIP judge Hideaki Shikama will join the judging panel to select the winners of four honours, namely Overall Champion, the Excellence Award, the Best Visual Presentation Award and the "My Favourite Collection Award", out of 10 shortlisted entrants. Members of the public can vote for their favourite designs on the FASHIONALLY website before midnight tomorrow (10 September) to stand the chance of winning one of seven HK$2,000 Lee Gardens Area e-gift coupons sponsored by Hysan Development.

Experience the application of technology in the fashion industry

In addition to numerous fashion shows, this year's CENTRESTAGE is staging various seminars and sharing sessions. Earlier today (9 September), representatives from AiDLab, an artificial intelligence design institute, and Code-Create Limited shared their insights into the application of artificial intelligence in the fashion industry. In another session, representatives from Virtual Touch, a 3D visual effects animation firm, and Mirum, one of the world's largest digital service providers, will look into topics such as the metaverse and sustainability in the fashion industry.

This year's CENTRESTAGE venue has integrated cyber and metaverse elements into its design and features a host of interactive virtual experiences. Visitors can create their own avatar and connect with others in the CENTREVERSE, as well as enjoying an augmented reality fashion try-on. To further enrich the visitor experience, workshops on making eco-friendly scented pouches and the co-creation of large-scale artworks are also on offer, while the CENTRESTAGE X Watch & Clock lucky draw will take place over the weekend (10 and 11 September).

*Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.

Websites

- CENTRESTAGE :

https://www.centrestage.com.hk

- CENTRESTAGE visitor pre-registration:

https://bit.ly/3QNzd7M

- Fashion Hong Kong:

https://www.fashionhongkong.com.hk/en

- Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC):

https://www.fashionally.com/en

- CENTRESTAGE in Town:

https://centrestage.hktdc.com/home/highlights/centrestage-in-town/

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

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