The 27th Hong Kong Fashion Week -- Fall/Winter, which is also the biggest of its kind in the region, is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) from January 17-20 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, taking up more than 22,000 square metres of exhibition space with 1,100 booths.
The chairman of the TDC Garment Advisory Committee, Mr Kenneth Fang, said Hong Kong Fashion Week is the most important fashion promotion and business event in Asia.
"In the world of fashion, Hong Kong has risen to become Asia's premier meeting point for every facet of the industry, from high-end design to top quality manufacturing, sourcing, selling and, increasingly, fashion promotion," Mr Fang said at a press conference today to preview some of the fine fashions to be featured in Fashion Week.
"Hong Kong Fashion Week, held twice a year for Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collections, is now a major fixture on the international fashion calendar, attracting more than 41,900 trade visitors last year, including 11,000 from overseas, "Mr Fang said.
"They come to take the pulse of Asia's markets and to discover new trends in fashion tastes and designs across the region, where Hong Kong's own designers play a leading role.
"Overseas buyers come to find top quality garment suppliers, an area where Hong Kong, the world's leading apparel exporter, has a strong competitive edge," Mr Fang added.
He pointed out that Fashion Week has increasingly become the place where the world's top fashion houses from Europe and North America come to sell to Asia. One-third of the 800 exhibitors at this month's event are from overseas. "The presence of so many international exhibitors is an additional draw card for both local and international buyers especially those from around the region," said Mr. Fang.
A large delegation has been organised by the British Department of Trade and Industry to take part in Fashion Week for the first time, taking with them the famous DTI Clothes Show on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to Hong Kong. In addition, there will be a Europe Selection Pavilion organised by Ente Moda Italia and Igedo Company of Dusseldorf, and a California Pavilion put together by the California Fashion Association and the California State Office of Export Department.
There are also other national pavilions at Fashion Week. They include delegations from China, the Philippines, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka.
"The excitement of Asia's potential as a market has spread across the fashion world, firing the vision and imagination of business development executives in some of the world's most illustrious fashion houses," Mr Fang continued.
"What Hong Kong offers them is a springboard called Hong Kong Fashion Week. I believe there is no single more effective vehicle for international apparel companies to reach buyers from across the region or to gain a foothold in Asia's diverse markets."
Mr Fang added that Fashion Week is also Asia's most glamorous fashion gathering. Apart from the display of latest British and European fashions, Hong Kong's top designers and branded labels will be the stars of five major fashion shows to be staged by the TDC during the four-day event. The Hong Kong Fashion Designers' Association will organise a pavilion to promote many other local designers.
Leading fashion journalists from around the world will again be the judges to select the winners of the best Hong Kong Collections Award.
Rounding off Hong Kong Fashion Week will be the Young Designers' Contest on January 20 when the collections of 17 finalists will be paraded before an international panel of judges, including Italy's famed Dr Nicola Trussardi, who will stage a catwalk show during Fashion Week, and Jeff Banks from Britain.
The Promotsyl, a renowned international fashion forecast house, will present a fashion trend forum to provide buyers and exhibitors the latest on the upcoming trends of colour, fabrics and style for menswear, womenswear and knitwear. The forum is supported by the TDC's Fashion Club.
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