Arts Thread

The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) takes place Saturday September 07 as part of CENTRESTAGE taking place September 04-07 2019 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The 2019 finalists are: ANDY CHIU / CHUN HEI MAN / CYRUS CHAN / ENZO CHAN / HANNAH WONG / KAYAN LAM / KELLY LAU / KENNETH TSANG / KENNY TIEN / LION SZE / LOUIS CHOW / LOUIS LEE / SIMON CHENG / TIFFANY CHAN / VIVIAN TAM / WILSON YIP

The 2019 Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) will see 16 up-and-coming fashion talents shortlisted to compete for five grand prizes as well as prestigious internships, study trips and mentorships with top brands. The designers’ creations will be assessed by a panel of respected industry professionals, with internationally renowned fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro acting as this year’s VIP judge.

Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), YDC 2019 will be held on Saturday, 7 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) as the finale of the annual CENTRESTAGE fashion showcase. Past YDC designers will make an appearance at the YDC contest, showcasing new and exclusive collections created in partnership with MINI Hong Kong (MINI).

YDC 2019: showcasing the future of Hong Kong fashion

The five winners of YDC 2019 will be unveiled at a presentation ceremony on the last day of CENTRESTAGE. Sixteen finalists will present collections that have employed different design elements and special fabrication techniques to express creativity.

The shortlisted works include: Louis Lee’s Earthly Redemption, Enzo Chan’s SINCE 1996, Hannah Wong’s ma tenue, Kenny Tien’s Accident or Incident, Tiffany Chan’s The Sower, Wilson Yip’s Forgetful Still, Kelly Lau’s Hope-Kinetics, Louis Chow’s Already But Not Yet, Man Chun Hei’s Self, Simon Cheng’s Galactic Fireworks, Kenneth Tsang’s Juncture Reborn, Kayan Lam’s Jeux Olympiques, Cyrus Chan’s Masterbae, Andy Chiu’s Synthesis, Lion Sze’s Farmer, and Vivian Tam’s messy messy.

Playful fashion shoots capture local creativity

YDC carried out a fashion shoot staged specially to showcase the finalists’ collections, taking the theme of famous Hong Kong advertisements from the 1980s and 90s to highlight the unique aesthetic of the city’s fashion.

The 16 finalists are vying for some valuable prizes, with the top three winners being rewarded with internships or overseas study trips sponsored by Hong Kong’s Sun Hing Knitting Factory Ltd, MINI and local online fashion hub FASHIONALLY. Meanwhile, winners of the Best Footwear Design Award and the New Talent Award will receive mentorships from i.t apparels Ltd and JOYCE to develop their own unique capsule collections.

Industry heavyweights join judging panel

This year’s YDC winners will be selected by an esteemed panel of judges comprising senior industry and media representatives. The panel is led by Lawrence Leung, Chairman of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee, who will be joined by Michael Mok, Head of Merchandising at JOYCE, Vogue Hong Kong Chief Editor Peter Wong, Stylist and Art Director Declan Chan, Tomorrow Ltd Senior Area Manager Jonathan Lee and i.t. apparels Ltd Head of Footwear Virginia Chan. The panel members will provide insightful critiques to all the finalists.

Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro has been invited as the YDC 2019 VIP judge. Mihara Yasuhiro always thinks out of the box to bring a playful theme to each of the garments in his collections, with designs that attract attention through some unique and surprising ideas. Mr Yasuhiro is the founder of MIHARA YASUHIRO, his eponymous brand, which is distributed worldwide by more than 70 stores and stockists including leading retailers such as Selfridges, Harrods, SSENSE and Hong Kong’s I.T and JOYCE.