CENTRESTAGE 2024

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), CENTRESTAGE, Asia’s annual fashion extravaganza, returns to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from 4 to 7 September (Wednesday to Saturday). This year’s event will see the catwalks light up with the latest collections from 250 brands and emerging talents from 17 countries and regions. The HKTDC is welcoming buyers from around the globe to explore unique procurement opportunities and will also open the doors to the public free of charge over the four-day period. This year’s CENTRESTAGE will further cement Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s fashion capital and a flourishing hub for cultural exchange and international trade.

Showcasing the latest collections of local fashion design brands in a cinematic way

The excitement continues with the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show on the opening day of the fair (4 September), with four top local fashion brands – ANGUS TSUI, röyksopp gakkai, selfFab., and Z I D I – showcasing their latest collections. Moving beyond the traditional runway format, the event is collaborating with Steve Chan, director of the film Weeds on Fire that won the 1st First Feature Film Initiative organised by the CCIDA (formerly known as Create Hong Kong), to present the fashion creations of the four brands through a unique cinematic storytelling approach. This innovative take on the runway experience allows audiences to explore the world of fashion through a fresh lens while fostering deeper collaboration in Hong Kong’s creative industries.

The four-day fair will feature a series of other fashion shows, including the “Greater Bay Area Fashion Fusion Show” organised by Fashion Farm Foundation with the CCIDA as Lead Sponsor, the “Macao Fashion Parade” by the Macao Productivity and Technology Transfer Center, “Thai Designers’ Showcase” by Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion, and the “Hong Kong Kids Fashion Show” by Hong Kong Kids Fashion Week.

CENTRESTAGE will feature five zones, including the newly added Athleisure and Circular Fashion zones that will feature products from the increasingly popular activewear fashion and circular fashion sectors. The Craftsmanship zone will feature exquisite artisanship while the Contemporary zone offers chic and avant-garde designs and the Urban zone highlights products targeting the younger segment.

Participating at CENTRESTAGE for the first time, the British Consulate-General Hong Kong will bring circular fashion clothing from eight British brands, including the Roksanda label from master British designer Roksanda Ilinčić. International celebrities such as American pop star Lady Gaga, former United States First Lady Michelle Obama and British royal Kate Middleton have all worn Roksanda’s designs. The designer will attend the exhibition in person, hosting a sharing session at which she will interact with attendees and discuss her path to success.

The sports fever sparked by the Paris Olympics Games remains intense. Different sports brands will participate at CENTRESTAGE this year, including internationally renowned golf brand ASHWORTH, which is collaborating with well-known Hong Kong designer Mountain Yam to launch a joint collection at the event.

Also in attendance at CENTRESTAGE are local and global industry powerhouses such as the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association (HKFDA), the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab), Redress, the Knitwear Innovation and Design Society (KIDS), the School of Fashion and Textiles of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA). Governments and brands from around the world are actively supporting the event and showcasing their collections, including first-time participant the Singapore Fashion Council, Japan’s Ueda College of Fashion, the Thailand Textile Institute and the Indonesia Fashion Chamber.

Experts gather to discuss future fashion industry developments

Leading figures from various fields in the fashion industry will take part in a series of seminars that will provide in-depth insights into the latest fashion trends, industry developments and related technologies. Among them, the Innovation and Technology Symposium organised by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel, themed “Scaling from Innovation to Impact”, will explore how collaboration can multiply the effectiveness of innovative research and development to help the textile and fashion industry meet future challenges.

Entering its ninth edition, CENTRESTAGE not only attracts top international designers and brands but also provides a stage for iconic industry competitions. The finals of the REDRESS Design Award 2024, a sustainable fashion design competition sponsored by CCIDA, will be held at CENTRESTAGE on 5 September. Ten finalists from around the world will come to Hong Kong to showcase their latest designs on the runway and compete for awards. Meanwhile, the Young Knitwear Designer’s Contest (YKDC), organised by the Knitwear Innovation and Design Society, will hold its final fashion show on the third day of the exhibition (6 September).

Set to be the grand finale of this year’s CENTRESTAGE, the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) 2024 will take place on 7 September. Masayuki Ino, founder and designer of Japanese fashion brand doublet, will join as a guest judge alongside a panel of industry experts. Together, they will select the winners from 10 finalists for four awards: the Champion, Excellence Award, Best Art Direction and My Favourite Collection. The public is invited to participate by casting votes online (https://bit.ly/YDC2024_Vote_Now) for their favourite collection.

CENTRESTAGE will be held concurrently with HKTDC’s Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and Salon de TIME.