#MeMyselfAndUs
powered by Vogue Hong Kong
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Welcome Message
A very warm welcome to CENTRESTAGE 2022, one of Asia’s signature fashion events.
Running under the theme “Inclusion and Diversity” with the hashtag “#MeMyselfAndUs”, this year’s CENTRESTAGE emphasises self-expression and the uniqueness of individuals. It also encourages embracing different cultures and values, and promotes the free and bold articulation of beauty and creativity.
This year, the show is playing host to more than 230 fashion brands and designer labels from 15 countries and regions, providing an ideal platform to unveil the latest collections and fashion accessories. On top of physical presentation, the brands’ info and designs are also featured on the CENTRESTAGE 2022 website, which is jointly developed by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and our digital content partner Vogue Hong Kong, enabling buyers to view them without temporal and spatial constraints. Overseas buyers can also meet the exhibitors online to explore business opportunities via our business matching services.
CENTRESTAGE kicks off with CENTRESTAGE ELITES. The opening gala show is staged with models strutting down the runway in the 2023 spring/summer collections by Hong Kong label DEMO, co-founded by Derek Chan and Mite Chan, and Japanese designer Hideaki Shikama’s brand, Children of the discordance. The show will be livestreamed to the CENTRESTAGE website and social media channels.
Having long served as a launch pad for local talent to kickstart their career and make their mark in fashion, the “Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest” (YDC) will be held on the last day of CENTRESTAGE (11 September), for which a panel of eminent judges will select the fashion stars of tomorrow.
In addition, around 30 fashion shows, mini parades and insightful seminars have been arranged throughout the three days.
Following last year’s well-received response, CENTRESTAGE is once again open to the public, giving fashion lovers the opportunity to experience the extravaganza as well as check out current styles and fashion trends. To enhance public engagement, an array of interactive experiences empowered by AR and VR technology will be offered at the fairground. Highlights include virtual try-on of outfits specially designed for CENTRESTAGE, as well as “CENTREVERSE”, a custom-built phygital experience that allows visitors to participate in various fashion events virtually and interact using their personalised avatars.
Moreover, a series of fashion-related events and promotions has been staged across Hong Kong, including Central Market, D2 Place and Harbour City, under the CENTRESTAGE in Town citywide campaign to spread the buzz from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to every corner of the city.
We wish you a fruitful and inspiring time at CENTRESTAGE 2022.
Katherine Fang
Chairman
HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee
Margaret Fong
Executive Director
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
May the Force be with US
The collaboration between Vogue Hong Kong and Hong Kong Centrestage has entered its third year, with the themes “A World of Phygital” in 2020, “Chapter Infinity” in 2021 and “Me, Myself & Us” in 2022, reflecting the rapidly changing times over these past three years.
The pandemic drove us to a Phygital lifestyle. Livestream, WFH and Zoom were born, quickly becoming the norm.
Infinity represents possibility. Impossible becomes I'm possible.
This year, we explore D&I - diversity and inclusion - two buzzwords in the fashion industry.
On the runway, models of all shapes, sizes and skin tones are the first step for Diversity. Behind the scenes, the equal participation of different races and genders in the creative process still has a long journey ahead before reaching true Inclusivity.
Diversity, inclusion and acceptance can be seen as far back as 40 years ago, in the legendary movie “Star Wars” by George Lucas. The human Jedi, the almost 1000 year old Yoda, the memorable giant Jabba the Hutt, Chewie, the long-haired Wookie, the controversial Jar Jar Binks and more all coexist across different planets, and are all accepted as who they are.
One figure spearheading the movement towards authentic diversity & inclusion is Rihanna, who has also shown that upholding these values can be a winning business model. The entrepreneur, singer and makeup mogul founded the beauty brand Fenty Beauty with 40 shades of foundation at launch, embracing all different skin tones. She then went on to launch the Savage x Fenty underwear brand, inviting models like the pregnant Slick Woods alongside models with mobility aids and models of varying body types, redefining the standard of beauty and successfully bringing a new and long-awaited change to the fashion industry.
To distinguish “me” and “you” does not need to be a confrontation, but an acceptance. "Us" does not mean all assimilating to the same thing, but rather a sharing - respecting each person's characteristics and accepting each other. Unity can be difficult but it is the source of true strength and potential, and the Force behind everything.
This year, we brings together x brands. I look forward to watching these New Forces of Fashion shining more brightly together, as a united front.
Kat Yeung
LEGO
LEGO® is a brand that many have grown up with - some may even say the brand itself is synonymous with joy and creativity. This year, LEGO® has once again collaborated with CENTRESTAGE to unite toys and fashion through a group of local fashion design talents, demonstrating the limitless spirit of creativity.
1/ What does ‘diversity’ mean to LEGO®?
We want the LEGO® experience to be for everyone. We want to embrace differences. With LEGO, there are no boundaries or limitations as to who can play and how they can play. Whether you want to develop your interests through LEGO in 2D or 3D format, everyone is welcome to play freely with LEGO Bricks in their own unique way.
2/ While LEGO is committed to diversity and creativity, how is it reflected in the latest collaboration with HK designers through CENTRESTAGE?
We want to emphasise that play has no boundaries. With a spark of creativity, our Arts & Crafts series LEGO® DOTS will be transformed into fashionable items and can be customised to fit your personal style. This is what our talented Hong Kong designers and CENTRESTAGE will bring to life. We hope this will inspire girls and boys to be brave and to let their creativity run wild.
3/ What is the key message behind this collaboration?
After last year’s successful collaboration, we hope to reinforce our key message: that there are limitless ways of playing with LEGO Bricks. By demonstrating our local designers’ incredible LEGO® DOTS designs, we hope to show these inspiring designs to anyone who may be on the fence and hesitant about the “traditional” way of building. This new form of creating, which merges design and Arts & Crafts, is made possible with LEGO® DOTS.
4/ What are you most looking forward to about this unprecedented participation in the CENTRESTAGE fashion event?
There are so many things to look forward to, but we are especially excited to see how our talented designers will go one step further to create amazing pieces using our two new LEGO® DOTS surfacing materials. These new materials, the stitch-on and adhesive stick-on models, will be showcased at CENTRESTAGE. This year at CENTRESTAGE we will expand the scope of our project in order to bring our local creativity to a broader audience.
5/ Making toys into wearable fashion is a creative approach, what are you expecting to see?
The LEGO DOTS stitch and stick-on surfaces are some of our company’s newest innovations. They can be sewn into your own clothes or adhered onto surfaces like notepads and phone cases. Last year, our designers created a range of amazing fashion accessories like tiaras, handbags, hats, and even umbrellas. I am very excited to see how they will use the new products to make functional yet visually stunning pieces that will be showcased at CENTRESTAGE.
6/ What messages do you wish to convey through this project?
We strongly encourage girls to come and play with LEGO Bricks! Over the past 2 years, we began introducing a new 2D canvas creative solution through LEGO® DOTS, which nurtures childrens’ passion for Arts & Crafts. A stereotype is that girls may find the traditional building method to be challenging. LEGO® DOTS x HK Designer and CENTRESTAGE hope to change perceptions and welcome children to engage with LEGO however they want.