Carnival Time at Hong Kong Fashion Week
Every year the organizers of Hong Kong Fashion Week come up with a theme to set the tone for the mammoth sourcing and fashion fair, which has hundreds of apparel sourcing companies putting their best foot forward. This year, the theme for the July 5–8 show was "Summer Carnival," with lots of bright images that had a certain Disneyesque quality. This particular display became a popular spot for passersby to have their picture taken.
In another area, a circus theme surrounded a runway where casual fashion shows took place. But the show has been anything but a circus. Buyers are carefully browsing through the nearly 1,300 booths set up by factories from India, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other areas. Buyers are being cautious about their budgets, but they are being faced with price increases that hover around 20 percent.
Business, however, seemed to be on the upswing. There was more buzz in the halls of the Hong Kong Exhibition Convention Centre, where the show is held. And there were more exhibitors. Last year, there were 1,164 booths, compared with this year's 1,295. Exhibitors noted that attendance by European buyers was down this season, but more U.S. buyers were roaming the halls in search of fresh fashions.
