Hong Kong Fashion Week Sends Up a Bright Flair

HONG KONG—Bright colors were all the rage on the runways during the 18 fashion shows at Hong Kong Fashion Week, held Jan. 14–17.

Vivid yellows, shocking reds and eye-popping greens exploded on the catwalk as a bevy of Fall/Winter 2008 collections unfolded inside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

William Tang, one of Hong Kong’s premier designers, took his explosive color palette and paired it with big black polka dots the size of tennis balls. His baggy, cropped yellow pants were studded with black polka dots and matched with a black sequined baseball jacket. A bright-orange strapless jumpsuit cropped at the knees was covered with large black polka dots. Tang’s large, chunky knit sweaters also came in vivid hues of blues, oranges and pinks.

Hong Kong designer Peter Lau kept the bright color scheme moving along with dazzling reds and orange-reds blended into poofy mini-dresses and short shorts worn with fitted jackets or vests. A muted beige sweater dress, with flounces of ruffles, got a shot in the arm with a blood-red knit sweater.

Hong Kong designer Jaeger Ng was one of the few who opted to explore neutral tones for his Fall/Winter 2008 collection. His casual collection varied from denim skirts or khaki shorts worn with black opaque stockings to slouchy sweaters and shawls, all done in earth tones.

Hem lines ran the gamut from Lau’s short-short looks to Hong Kong designer Cecilia Yau’s feminine ankle-length evening gowns in delicate chiffons.

Indonesian-born designer Ika, known for laser-cut designs and sandwiched in-and-out stitching that adds another dimension to her styles, had skirts that skimmed knees and dresses that touched ankles.

South Korean designers hovered toward more-traditional silhouettes and styles that varied from ladylike knit suits to soft, delicate evening dresses.

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Deborah Belgum