Fashion extravaganza CENTRESTAGE returns in September

- The exhibition brings together 250 brands from 17 countries and regions, the highest number of brands ever to take part in CENTRESTAGE. For the first time, the event will open to the public for all four days

- In line with market trends, new thematic zones for circular fashion and athleisure fashion have been added. Around 40 events will be held during the fair

- Steve Chan, director of Weeds on Fire, has created cinematic narratives for the new collections of four fashion designers participating in the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show, promoting cross-sectoral collaboration in the creative industries

HONG KONG, Aug 20, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - CENTRESTAGE, the annual fashion extravaganza organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), will showcase a rich tapestry of style from 4 to 7 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event will feature a plethora of fashion shows, parades and seminars led by industry heavyweights, with attendees able to gain insights into the latest industry trends and cutting-edge designs, as well as explore business opportunities. For the first time, the exhibition will be open to both industry buyers and the public for all four days of the fair, providing a unique opportunity for fashion enthusiasts to explore and purchase from a variety of brands offering products for retail sale.

Sophia Chong, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: "As the government continues to champion Hong Kong’s mega events economy, this year’s CENTRESTAGE will open its doors to both industry professionals and the public for four consecutive days. We extend our warm invitation to local residents, visitors from Mainland China and overseas to immerse themselves in this Asian fashion spectacle. This year, we are proud to showcase a record-breaking 250 brands from 17 countries and regions, including internationally renowned and iconic labels. The CENTRESTAGE runway will come alive with a series of world-class fashion shows including the “Home Coming” grand opening fashion show by Robert Wun at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, further cementing Hong Kong's status as a premier events capital. At the same time, the event will propel the development of the fashion and creative industries in Hong Kong and reinforce our city’s position as an east-meets-west centre for international cultural exchange."

CENTRESTAGE ELITES moves to Hong Kong Palace Museum

This year's CENTRESTAGE ELITES will be held at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on 3 September, the day before the fair gets underway, and will feature the fashion creations of Robert Wun, the first Hong Kong-born designer to feature at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. The evening marks his triumphant homecoming and will be the first fashion show ever held at the museum. CENTRESTAGE ELITES will be live-streamed on the CENTERSTAGE website, the HKTDC's YouTube channel and Facebook page, and on other online platforms such as ViuTV App and Yahoo HK. In addition, Mr Wun will showcase his designs in a dedicated exhibition area at CENTRESTAGE’s fairground and host a masterclass session on 5 September at which he will share his fascinating journey to becoming a globally renowned fashion designer.

Showcasing the latest collections of local fashion design brands in a cinematic way

The excitement continues with the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show on the opening day of the fair (4 September), with four top local fashion brands – ANGUS TSUI, röyksopp gakkai, selfFab., and Z I D I – showcasing their latest collections. Moving beyond the traditional runway format, the event is collaborating with Steve Chan, director of the film Weeds on Fire that won the 1st First Feature Film Initiative organised by the CCIDA (formerly known as Create Hong Kong), to present the fashion creations of the four brands through a unique cinematic storytelling approach. This innovative take on the runway experience allows audiences to explore the world of fashion through a fresh lens while fostering deeper collaboration in Hong Kong's creative industries.

The four-day fair will feature a series of other fashion shows, including the "Greater Bay Area Fashion Fusion Show" organised by Fashion Farm Foundation with the CCIDA as Lead Sponsor, the "Macao Fashion Parade" by the Macao Productivity and Technology Transfer Center, "Thai Designers' Showcase" by Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion, and the "Hong Kong Kids Fashion Show" by Hong Kong Kids Fashion Week.

CENTRESTAGE will feature five zones, including the newly added Athleisure and Circular Fashion zones that will feature products from the increasingly popular activewear fashion and circular fashion sectors. The Craftsmanship zone will feature exquisite artisanship while the Contemporary zone offers chic and avant-garde designs and the Urban zone highlights products targeting the younger segment.

Participating at CENTRESTAGE for the first time, the British Consulate-General Hong Kong will bring circular fashion clothing from eight British brands, including the Roksanda label from master British designer Roksanda Ilincic. International celebrities such as American pop star Lady Gaga, former United States First Lady Michelle Obama and British royal Kate Middleton have all worn Roksanda's designs. The designer will attend the exhibition in person, hosting a sharing session at which she will interact with attendees and discuss her path to success.

The sports fever sparked by the Paris Olympics Games remains intense. Different sports brands will participate at CENTRESTAGE this year, including internationally renowned golf brand ASHWORTH, which is collaborating with well-known Hong Kong designer Mountain Yam to launch a joint collection at the event.

Also in attendance at CENTRESTAGE are local and global industry powerhouses such as the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association (HKFDA), the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab), Redress, the Knitwear Innovation and Design Society (KIDS), the School of Fashion and Textiles of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA). Governments and brands from around the world are actively supporting the event and showcasing their collections, including first-time participant the Singapore Fashion Council, Japan's Ueda College of Fashion, the Thailand Textile Institute and the Indonesia Fashion Chamber.

HKTDC continues to invite buyers from around the world to source at CENTRESTAGE, including major multi-brand stores such as CNTRBND in Canada, Elevastor in France, VOO Store in Germany, Urbanist Store in the United Arab Emirates, Japan’s The Four-Eyed Limited, ANCHORET from Mainland China and Taiwan’s CLUB DESIGNER.

Experts gather to discuss future fashion industry developments

Leading figures from various fields in the fashion industry will take part in a series of seminars that will provide in-depth insights into the latest fashion trends, industry developments and related technologies. Among them, the Innovation and Technology Symposium organised by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel, themed "Scaling from Innovation to Impact", will explore how collaboration can multiply the effectiveness of innovative research and development to help the textile and fashion industry meet future challenges.

Entering its ninth edition, CENTRESTAGE not only attracts top international designers and brands but also provides a stage for iconic industry competitions. The finals of the REDRESS Design Award 2024, a sustainable fashion design competition sponsored by CCIDA, will be held at CENTRESTAGE on 5 September. Ten finalists from around the world will come to Hong Kong to showcase their latest designs on the runway and compete for awards. Meanwhile, the Young Knitwear Designer’s Contest (YKDC), organised by the Knitwear Innovation and Design Society, will hold its final fashion show on the third day of the exhibition (6 September).

Set to be the grand finale of this year’s CENTRESTAGE, the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC) 2024 will take place on 7 September. Masayuki Ino, founder and designer of Japanese fashion brand doublet, will join as a guest judge alongside a panel of industry experts. Together, they will select the winners from 10 finalists for four awards: the Champion, Excellence Award, Best Art Direction and My Favourite Collection. The public is invited to participate by casting votes online (https://bit.ly/YDC2024_Vote_Now) for their favourite collection.

CENTRESTAGE will be held concurrently with HKTDC’s Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and Salon de TIME. Attendees can enjoy a one-stop shopping experience for branded apparel and watches from around the world and can enter the “CENTRESTAGE X Watch & Clock” lucky draws that will be held during the exhibitions.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/3SXCuVB

Websites :

CENTRESTAGE : www.centrestage.com.hk
CENTRESTAGE ELITES: https://www.hktdc.com/event/centrestage/en/centrestage-elites
Fashion Hong Kong : https://www.fashionhongkong.com.hk/en
Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC):www.fashionally.com/en

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About the 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 SMEs, in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. 

About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)

The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) established in June 2024, formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaboration, promoting the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries under the industry-oriented principle, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community to implement Hong Kong’s positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

CCIDA’s website: http://www.ccidahk.gov.hk.

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, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.