Spotlight Shines on Hong Kong Fashion
HONG KONG—Thousands of buyers in town for Hong Kong Fashion Week had no shortage of fashion shows to attend during the Jan. 18–21 event, which showcased Asian fashion with a particular spotlight on Hong Kong designers.
Twenty-two fashion shows highlighted everything from student design contests to sophisticated creations by well-established designers.
Looks on the runways at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre ranged from ruffles and frills to avant-garde silhouettes with sleeves sewn shut and men’s ties sewn to the backs of vests as accents.
William Tang’s show, called “Dim Sum,” featured bright-pink and coral knee-length dresses with a certain Suzie Wong influence. Tang’s collection quickly morphed into styles with a harder edge and darker colors, showing that Hong Kong fashion is picking up a flair for streetwear.
Indonesian designer Ika Butoni, known for adding texture to her garments, incorporated last season’s gladiator look into her Ika collection, sewing narrow strips of leather onto see-through fabric. This season, she used soft colors and shied away from stronger hues. Topping the outfits were geometric hats that resembled mobiles created by American artist Alexander Calder.
Hong Kong designer Peter Lau added a heavy dose of popsicle color to his collection, pairing bright greens with hot pinks and oranges. —Deborah Belgum
