Bright Hues Prevail for Fall/Winter '09 Styles
HONG KONG—Autumn may be the somber season, when trees lose their leaves and landscapes are painted brown rather than green.
But the colors on the runway at Hong Kong Fashion Week, the four-day trade show and fashion venue held Jan. 12–15, ran bright for Fall/Winter ’09.
Sweaters and dresses popped in brilliant reds, oranges and pinks. Vibrant apple greens were married with black accents, looking as if some exotic insect had donned a dress.
Knitwear, one of Asia’s specialties, was everywhere, with silhouettes taking advantage of off-kilter geometric designs. Sweater dresses were transformed with a large pocket sewn halfway up the side. Capes took on extra dimensions, with gigantic cowl necks drooping down looking like caterpillars on steroids.
Most of the shows were centered around various textile groups or federations. In the Supreme Corea Artist Fashion Show, designers such as Oh Yung Sun for the Over Rolls label stood out on the runway for simple but creative sweaters and dresses.
The Taiwan Textile Federation organized a group of designers for a “Taipei In Style” show.
Only one designer had a solo show. Ika, who could be considered the doyenne of Hong Kong Fashion Week, created more than 80 looks that appeared on the catwalk the second night of the four-day Hong Kong Fashion Week. This season, the Indonesian-born designer took her inspiration from Egypt in a presentation called “On the Road to Alexandria.”
Her label, named after her, was well-executed with her trademark elaborate textile treatments and stitching. Colors were vibrant with purples, blues and reds. —Deborah Belgum
