Hong Kong CENTRESTAGE 2017 ELITES, China

Asia’s premier fashion event CENTRESTAGE, last from 6-9 September 2017, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The show features more than 210 fashion brands from 22 countries and regions, along with nearly 40 fashion events, including the opening gala fashion show, CENTRESTAGE ELITES, some 20 fashion shows, as well as designer sharing sessions, an industry forum, trend forecast seminars and networking activities.

CENTRESTAGE debuted 2016 as a new promotion and launch platform for international, especially Asian fashion brands and designs, reaffirming Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s fashion capital.

CENTRESTAGE ELITES and other catwalk shows to preview upcoming style. Some 20 fashion shows have been organised during CENTRESTAGE, including FASHIONALLY Collection #10, presented by online fashion hub FASHIONALLY. The show spotlights 10 up-and-coming local fashion designers collaborating to showcase Hong Kong’s design prowess.

The large-scale opening gala fashion show on the first night, CENTRESTAGE ELITES, feature the 2018 spring/summer collections of Hong Kong fashion brand FFIXXED STUDIOS, founded by Kain Picken and Fiona Lau, and Korean design master Juun.J. The Korean brand’s first runway show in Hong Kong has been made possible with the collaboration of brand partner JOYCE and the HKTDC. JUUN.J’s 2017 fall/winter collection is also currently available at JOYCE.

CENTRESTAGE ELITES
A major fashion spectacular, CENTRESTAGE ELITES, took to the stage on 6 September, showcasing the latest Spring/Summer 2018 collections of Hong Kong brand FFIXXED STUDIOS and Korean label JUUN.J.

The opening gala show was a highlight of CENTRESTAGE, CENTRESTAGE ELITES showcased Kain Picken and Fiona Lau’s FFIXXED STUDIOS, as well as the works of Juun.J. The Korean designer staged his first Hong Kong runway show, which was made possible through a collaboration with the brand’s partner JOYCE and the HKTDC. JUUN.J’s 2017 Fall/Winter collection is also currently on offer at JOYCE.

Top models showcased the designers’ collections during the gala fashion show, which was attended by nearly 1,000 guests, including celebrities Hilary Tsui, Vincent Wong, Owen Cheung and Janet Ma.

Juun. J
Korean design supremo Juun. J made its debut at Hong Kong’s runway. Being the pioneer of Korean fashion, JUUN. J’s avant-garde design is largely inspired by street culture with precise tailoring. The brand has gathered critical acclaim and loyal followers including K-pop megastars G-Dragon and Taeyang. Having showcased in the global fashion arena, JUUN. J presented in Hong Kong for the first time with its latest SS18 collection. The Korean brand’s first runway show in Hong Kong has been made possible with the collaboration of brand partner JOYCE and the HKTDC. JUUN.J’s 2017 fall/winter collection is also currently available at JOYCE.

Juun.J graduated from ESMOD Seoul in 1992 and worked at many prestigious fashion houses before creating his own label “Lone Costume” in 1999. Not long after showing at Seoul Fashion Week, Lone Costume became the most sought after brand with a cult following. Asia Times selected Juun.J as the top 4 notable designers to watch.

In 2007, with the world as his stage Juun.J debuts his namesake label during Paris Men’s Fashion Week to great acclaim. By deconstructing traditional ideas in menswear, Juun.J quickly establishes himself as the most innovative designer to watch during fashion week.

Juun.J began his career as the chief designer for Club Monaco, before debuting his own collections in 2007. Based out of Seoul, the designer’s thought-provoking designs, intrepid construction and minimalist yet structural aesthetic have solidified his stand-out, highly thematic collections. Juun.J’s recent collections have seen collaborations with the likes of alex & felix, Greg Simkins, Ambush, and Oleg Dou.

The year 2012 marks another momentous year for Juun.J as he becomes part of Cheil Industries to truly become global and meet the demands of his following.

Juun.J’s decidedly modern approach to design is deeply rooted in his masterly knowledge in classic tailoring where he shatters old notions to create new silhouettes. Largely inspired by youth and street culture Juun.J aptly calls this ‘Street Tailoring’. His avant design and classicism with his precise tailoring will continue to be a tour de force in the evolution of menswear.

FFIXXED STUDIOS
FFIXXED STUDIOS is a collaborative mens and womenswear brand based between hong kong and shanghai, china. The brand was founded in 2010 by creative directors fiona lau and kain picken. Taking the inspiration from modern culture during their time in Australia, the designer duo of FFIXXED STUDIOS started the brand with a collective of art and design. Its men and women’s collections have been presented at worldwide fashion weeks. This rising Asia’s design couple launched their SS18 collection, expressing modern simplicity and sense of effortlessness and comfort, at the show.

FFIXXED STUDIOS makes clothing and objects that respond, adapt to, and inspire changing conditions for contemporary living. The ready-to-wear label evolves seasonally alongside a variety of other projects and collaborations that inform the evolution of the brand. Reflecting on the everyday, the collections respond to the construction of daily life, exploring notions of work and life in contemporary culture. Prioritising movement and openness both conceptually and in material and functional terms, ffixxed studios propose a laid back simplicity, emphasised by modern cutting and a fluid, eclectic aesthetic. They draw on natural fibres, custom-developed fabrics and personalised production techniques to address issues of sustainability and ethical working processes.

The couple’s ready-to-wear collections are designed for contemporary living and evolve seasonally in response to ideas at work and home. The designers have made the movement and openness of their clothing a priority – conceptually and also in material and functional terms.

They also place emphasis on modern cutting with a fluid eclectic aesthetic and use natural and recycled fibres and custom-developed fabrics as part of continuing efforts to support sustainability and ethical working processes.

They like the idea that something that is totally mundane or has no value can be re-thought in terms of its aesthetic value or functional value, is interesting.

They like to use simple everyday items as inspiration for their designs. In their latest collection, for example, they added fruit stickers onto transfer prints and the detailing of their clothes, while using the size and shape of dust bags as the template for garment pockets and leather bags. The couple have also used beads from taxi driver’s massage chair for the design of a pair of reflexology sandals.

In the same way that jewels were used to embellish clothes, the couple decorated one of their garments with small buttons made from a lightweight compound so they resemble little rocks with holes cut in the centre.

CENTRESTAGE 2017
Hong Kong CENTRESTAGE is Asia’s premier fashion event, offering a promotion platform for fashion brands and designers to showcase their talent. Events such fashion shows, designer sharing sessions, open talks, trend analyses and networking opportunities, with the objective of connecting local brands with the global fashion industry.

Under the theme “Nouveau Playhouse,” this year’s CENTRESTAGE, which is one of the celebration activities of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, features three thematic zones: GLAM, ALLURE and METRO.

The 2nd edition CENTRESTAGE features more than 210 fashion brands from 22 countries and regions, along with nearly 40 fashion events, including the opening gala fashion show, CENTRESTAGE ELITES, some 20 fashion shows, as well as designer sharing sessions, an industry forum, trend forecast seminars and networking activities.

The Hong Kong CENTRESTAGE showcase of high-calibre local and overseas fashion talents, and exciting, engaging events was held during the show period. It has created a fashion extravaganza that enables brands to overcome geographical and time limitations to showcase their latest designs to buyers and fashionistas.

CENTRESTAGE to provide a comprehensive promotional platform through which Asian fashion brands and budding designers can launch and present their latest fashion collections and connect with global buyers and fashionistas at the same time. A greater number of local and international fashion brands participating at this year’s CENTRESTAGE, underscoring the event’s position as Asia’s leading launch and marketing platform for fashion brands and highlighting its ability to create diverse business opportunities.

HKTDC
Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong’s businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room.