Hong Kong Fashion Fest Celebrates the City as a Global Fashion Hub

The first Hong Kong Fashion Fest will kick off on Nov. 20 with programming through Dec. 4, with a vibrant showcase of global fashion, culture and creativity. Announced by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region chief executive in 2023, Hong Kong Fashion Design Week is set to be an annual event and aims to reaffirm Hong Kong’s position as a prime destination for cultural and creative events in the fashion and textiles industry.

Presented by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the inaugural event has been designed to take over the city with its programming that will effectively consolidate fashion design events that promote Hong Kong’s fashion and textile designers.

“We are thrilled to launch the Hong Kong Fashion Fest, uniting Hong Kong’s various fashion happenings under one vibrant festival on the global fashion calendar,” said Victor Tsang, commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries. “This endeavor reflects our city’s creative energy and its role as a bridge between regional and international fashion.”

The Hong Kong Fashion Fest is structured around six pillars and corresponding goals including the celebration of diverse curation of fashion, the fortification of Hong Kong’s positioning as a hub for thought leadership in the fashion industry and the embrace of Hong Kong’s culture and heritage.

The events will also serve as an innovative marketing platform that nurtures creative talents with many star-studded events hosting celebrities and global icons in fashion. Hong Kong, said the event’s organizers, is where fashion will find its perfect host.

Highlights on the event’s lineup include a platform series to celebrate the beauty of workwear starting on Nov. 20 called “The Fashion Union,” a fashion summit themed “Power Up Sustainable Fashion Business” on Nov. 26 at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, a celebration of couture on Nov. 25 at The Henderson in Central called “Virtuose: The Artistry of Couture,” showcasing pieces from international designers namely Charles de Vilmorin, Cheney Chan, Kay Kwok and Mohamed Benchellal, and a celebration of the 30 anniversary of Shanghai Tang with an exhibition running from Nov. 27 to Dec. 15.

During the Fashion Asia Hong Kong event, a returning highlight of the city’s fashion calendar, a spotlight will be placed on Asian design and craftsmanship. On Nov. 29 the Fashion Challenges Forum will be held at St. Regis Hong Kong with keynote and panel discussions that will cover a range of topics from market trends to the importance of craftsmanship and digital innovation.

Notable speakers include Nicolas Morineaux, chief executive officer of Galeries Lafayette China; Prabal Gurung, vice chairman of the CFDA; Lv Xiaolei, executive vice chairman of the Shanghai Fashion Designer Association, and Laura Weir, creative director of Selfridges.

The “10 Asian Designers to Watch” exhibition, hosted at the Clockenflap Music & Arts Festival, will invite guests to honor talents from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1. Honorees include Grace Ling, Juntae Kim, KWK by Kay Kwok, Markgong, Oude Waag, Raxxy, Ruohan, Setchu, Tanakadaisuke and Ya Yi. The showcase will also highlight a curated selection of past winners.

The Hong Kong Fashion Fest’s full lineup of events can be found at hongkongfashionfest.com.