HONG KONG, Sep 10, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Asia's premier fashion event CENTRESTAGE, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, opened today. The three-day extravaganza features 30 fashion events at which brands and designers can showcase their creativity in the fashion arena. A number of Hong Kong designers presented their 2022 Spring/Summer collections today, attracting the attention of fashion buyers and fashionistas. For the first time, the show is open to public visitors for the entire duration. Visitors have a unique opportunity to check out the latest designs from leading local and overseas fashion brands, with most of the participating brands offering retail sales along with special offers.

CENTRESTAGE 2021 opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The three-day event (10 to 12 September) opens to public visitors for the first time.

The curtain-opening FASHIONALLY Collection #17 fashion show spotlighted emerging local talents and their brands.

Comprehensive fashion brand promotional platform

The sixth edition of CENTRESTAGE adopts "Chapter Infinity" as its central theme. The event features three thematic zones: ALLURE - representing craftsmanship, refinement and elegance; ICONIC - displaying avant-garde designs; and METRO - showcasing contemporary, minimalistic expressions of urban life. This year's event hosts more than 200 fashion brands from 24 countries and regions. Multiple brands and industry organisations from outside Hong Kong have sent local representatives to participate in the event, including the Taiwan Textile Federation, Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center, Italian fashion promotion organisation Ente Moda Italia (EMI) and new joiners the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce of the Royal Thai Government, and the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Amalty from Kazakhstan.

In addition, fashion buyers such as Club 21, D-mop, Harvey Nichols, I.T, Lane Crawford and online fashion store Farfetch are joining the event. Over the three days, more than 700 video business meetings will be arranged to match exhibitors with major overseas buyers such as 3NY from the United States, Germany's Encode Fashion, Korea's Wonderplace and Vietnam's Runway.

Exceptional fashion shows debut new collections

Today's curtain-opening FASHIONALLY Collection #17 fashion show spotlighted emerging local talents and their brands. CENTRESTAGE will also present other Hong Kong brands at FASHIONALLY Presentations, combining a short fashion film with an onsite performance to showcase their 2022 Spring/Summer collections.

The spotlight opening gala show, CENTRESTAGE ELITES, takes place this evening and will see the global launch of the 2022 Spring/Summer collections from local designers Calvin Chan and Joyce Kun's renowned brand The World Is Your Oyster, as well as acclaimed Korean designer Lee Mooyeol's brand, YOUSER. The show will not only be boosted by extended reality (XR) but will also be livestreamed through the CENTRESTAGE website and social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, employing augmented reality (AR) effects to enhance the online viewing experience. Celebrity singer and fashionista Hins Cheung will attend the event to give his support to the designers.

CENTRESTAGE ELITES will be followed by the Hong Kong Emerging Talents Show which features the latest collections from up-and-coming designer labels in town. Another exciting show, Fashion Go Places, celebrating the international footprint of Hong Kong designers at renowned fashion weeks, will be held tomorrow (11 September).

Popular fashion events return in physical format

A number of popular fashion events are returning in a physical format during CENTRESTAGE, including two highlighted events sponsored by CreateHK: Fashion Summit (Hong Kong) 2021, an international forum focused on sustainable development in the fashion industry, runs on 9 and 10 September, and the Grand Final of the Redress Design Award 2021, the world's largest sustainable fashion design competition, takes place on 11 September.

Another highlight of this year's CENTRESTAGE will be the final of the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest 2021 (YDC) on 12 September. The VIP judges will be Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh, founders of the menswear label BOTTER. The 10 shortlisted candidates will compete for four honours, namely overall champion, the Excellence Award, Best Visual Presentation Award and the My Favourite Collection Award. For the latter, members of the public can vote for their favourite collection online and stand the chance to win one of seven HK$2,000 Lee Gardens Area e-gift certificates sponsored by Hysan Development. Celebrities Denis Kwok (aka 193) and Bonnie Wong (aka Ah Jeng) will be the special guests at the show, demonstrating their support for up-and-coming Hong Kong fashion talents.

Weekend fashion events

For the first time, CENTRESTAGE is opening to public visitors for the entire duration. A series of exciting fashion events is being arranged over the weekend for the public, including a sharing session on styling tips by well-known fashion influencers Lilian Kan and Joey Sze, as well as the fashion designer behind CAR|2IE, Carrie Kwok, tomorrow (11 September), the Hong Kong Kids Fashion Show with celebrity guests Sherry Chen and Gloria Cheung, and the "LEGO x Hong Kong Designers Parade" on 12 September. CENTRESTAGE in Town features a series of fashion events beyond the CENTRESTAGE fairground, includes fashion exhibitions, workshops and promotions with shopping malls and restaurants. More details can be found on the fair website.

Websites:- CENTRESTAGE: https://www.centrestage.com.hk- Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC): https://www.fashionally.com- CENTRESTAGE in Town: https://centrestage.hktdc.com/ex/centrestageintown/en- Photo download: https://bit.ly/3BSXaTM

Media enquiries:HKTDC's Communication & Public Affairs DepartmentSnowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4537, email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.orgAgnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

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