Centrestage Hong Kong returns in full force, this time with a British twist

Hong Kong once again played host to the high-energy trade show Centrestage last week, where, despite the looming threat of Typhoon Yagi, a positive international turnout highlighted why the region deserves its place as a strong international fashion player. The fair itself, now in its ninth edition, spanned September 4 to 7, cutting short on the second day but extending opening hours for the final two in light of the extreme weather conditions. While the norm would be to expect such issues to deter attendees – with the city issuing an alert that put a halt to transport and many business operations – this didn’t seem to widely impact the overarching feel of Centrestage.

In fact, according to the fair’s organiser, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), there was still a notable influx of visitors and supporters, bolstered by the Exhibition+ platform, which made the more than 250 exhibitors further available to those online. In the way of buyers, HKDTC reported 8,500 individuals from 82 countries, with regions like Thailand, Malaysia, Japan and Taiwan seeing specific increases in attendance. It also marked the first time that Centrestage, as well as its simultaneously-held sister fair Salon de Time, both located in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), were open to the public free of charge, accounting for the 15,000 plus general public visitors, a figure organisers said helped exhibitors to expand their customer base by facilitating on-site purchases.

Unlike traditional fair layouts, Centrestage puts forth an atmosphere that has the seeming intention to be a little more “showy”, evidenced by the large video screens on entry showing both exhibitor photoshoots and the runway of Robert Wun, this year’s headline designer for Centrestage Elites, a programme uplifting local talent, who kicked off the event on September 3. Flashy museum-like displays were also dotted throughout, showcasing various looks by local designers, similar to the heaps of runway shows held throughout each day, which also drew in surprisingly large crowds made up of brand executives to influencer types.

It was these elements that gave the fair what many perceived to be a welcoming atmosphere, as ascertained by Leocadia Duggento, the sales manager of La Haine Inside Us (LH). The Italian label was attending the fair for the first time with its SS25 line, and while already counting a handful of Hong Kong retailers among its client base, was hoping to use the opportunity to expand its presence wider in the continent. “We have a few stores, but nothing compared to the potentiality of the brand,” Duggento told FashionUnited, before noting that the avant-garde nature of LH fit with the style desired in Asia. “The challenge is being far away. You need to meet people, and I think Asia is, in a way, a little bit closed off. It would be better for us to have somebody here in Hong Kong, or in Japan, to represent our brand.”

Hong Kong as a gateway to Asia-Pacific

An interest in the brand was shown by Korean buyer Jonghun Park, from Samsung C&T Fashion Group, who said LH’s designs were suitable for its “discerning clients” and that it was thinking of placing a first order at a value of around 15,000 US dollars. Park continued: “The fair has allowed us to connect with innovative designers from around the world, diversifying our brand portfolio and keeping us at the forefront of fashion trends."

While Asia’s sprawling expanse of potential has not gone unnoticed by international labels, Hong Kong in particular has become somewhat of a focus point, particularly for younger brands trying to get their initial foothold before embarking on continental growth. To aid this, HKTDC teamed up with various international cultural government bodies to bring in names that otherwise may not have been able to invest in the trip. Such a partnership was made with the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong, which brought over eight British brands – some emerging, some more established – creating a fashion-forward bridge between the two regions.

The labels were housed at a large stand towards the front of the show, where each designer curated a selection of looks for their own racks, standing ahead of a mannequin display with a number of notable looks from the brands. The partnership was overseen by Corin Wilson, the director of trade and investment at the Department for International Trade in Hong Kong, who, next to supporting the flow of UK designers, was also pushing for more collaboration between the two regions.

“In terms of trade, there is currently a lot more positivity around the UK-Hong Kong relationship, which is great,” Wilson said, adding that as the UK’s 19th largest trading partner, Hong Kong is really important to the UK’s economy, and vice versa. “The more we can do, especially in the areas like fashion where the UK has history, strength and expertise, the better. I’ve been doing this job for 20 years and have continued to try and get people to think beyond the traditional images and opinions of the UK being historic and old-fashioned, but when you see the creativity in the fashion industry, it gets them to think differently about the UK in general.”

Roksanda, Patrick McDowell and more inhabit British Pavilion

Wilson works with financial institutions Investon and HKTDC to help give access to companies looking to set up bases in the region. “We can introduce our [government network] to companies that are thinking about Hong Kong. No company is going to set up a business presence until it’s exporting and making money here first, and then it will decide that it needs a presence here to go to that next level, particularly when considering north of the border into Mainland China,” Wilson said. Lush and Marks & Spencer are notable success stories in this respect, both operating a number of own brand stores in Hong Kong.

For some brands, participation in Centrestage’s British Pavilion wasn’t the first experience they had with the Hong Kong market. Serbia-born, London-based Roksanda Illinčić, who attended the fair both as an exhibitor and an expert speaker, said she was considering reentering the region with her namesake brand after opting to exit in the midst of the pandemic. The London Fashion Week regular told FashionUnited: “My actual goal here is just to work and infiltrate myself again into the community, and just to do a little research to see what’s happening.” While her mindset had initially been on securing possible partners in Asia, Illinčić expressed surprise that next to Asian buyers, she also had meetings set up with individuals closer to home, including a buyer from France and the Middle East.

Other newer names who, like Illinčić, are associated with the British Fashion Council (BFC), saw Centrestage as an opportunity to test the waters of the Hong Kong market. Jennifer Droguett was introducing her womenswear label Anciela for the first time in Asia, describing Hong Kong to be a “gateway” for the wider continent. With her emphasis on local production being predominant in her brand’s concept, Droguett doesn’t envision an immediate move into the Asian market in the way of manufacturing, but does think that her fun and tactile designs can resonate with the global human experience of storytelling and connection.

Revival founder Rosette Ale was another attending her first Asia-based trade show. Her brand, made up of collections designed using deadstock and leftover materials, already calls the US a solid international home that has allowed her to avoid Brexit-related difficulties in the EU. When it comes to Centrestage, however, Ale said: “I don’t know the Hong Kong market that well, so I’ve come with an open mind to see who I can connect with and see if there’s actually demand. What I understand is there is a real demand for luxury, so that could be an angle I can tap into. I’m in the mid-range segment, but I’m just open to exploring and seeing what’s possible.”

Those selected were done so on the premise of their sustainability factors, a process that was led by both Hailey Chan, the head of experience economy at UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and Christina Dean, founder of one of the exhibited brands R Collective as well as NGO Redress, which held its annual awards ceremony during Centrestage’s third day. Chan said she borrowed the expertise of Dean and De Castro to inform her sustainability credentials for participating brands, and to further get in touch with those that they felt would snuggly fit into the exhibition, particularly those that were taking “more trendsetting steps to achieve sustainability”.

Other trends that captured the fair; athleisure and accessories

Sustainability was a factor influencing a slightly more widespread basis for the overall fair, yet other trends seemed to have a tighter grip on both exhibitors and buyers. Athleisure, for example, was a new category introduced to Centrestage this year, an addition that reflected a growing demand for the clothing type, as proven in a HKTDC survey of exhibitors and buyers, 29 percent of which recognised “urban clothing” as one of the categories with the greatest growth potential in their primary sales.

This demand was then mirrored in the response to YGM Group’s Ashworth stand, where golfing-foused athleisure apparel was at the forefront. Brand manager Becky Kam said that the inclusion of athleisure aligned with “important market trends” and as such had brought 20 potential buyers to its stand, thus “exceeding our expectations”. She added: “I believe we can reach agreements with eight buyers from Singapore and Thailand, and if we successfully sell the agency licence, it is likely to amount to tens of thousands of US dollars."

Accessories were another to welcome strong demand, with survey insights showing that 39 percent of respondents saw growth potential in this area. Even young local brands were optimistic about their inclusion in the Centrestage line up. Debut attendee Jessica W, founder of jewellery label Love by the Moon, for example, said: “I want to expand my target customer and have more and more people see my brand. I wish to expand my market.” Next to Asian markets, she was hoping to grow in the US, UK and Australia.

The ambitions of these young talents align with the rising influence of Hong Kong’s fashion scene as a whole. This year’s Centrestage had already garnered the attention of notable international buyers, such as France’s Galeries Lafayette, Voo Store in Germany and Cntrbnd from Canada, the presence of which deputy executive director of HKTDC, Sophia Chong, “solidified the event’s status as an essential platform for fashion trade and brand promotion”.