The excitement of London Fashion Week is due to hit any minute now, and while we're eager to see what the major players have in store, we'll also be keeping an eye on a crop of emerging new designers.
Because when it comes to high-octane concepts, jaw-dropping silhouettes and wearable tech, no one does it quite like Hong Kong's design talent. There are four visionary young designers in particular who have huge potential and are set to take LFW by storm this season. So now is the time to swot up and get these names on your radar.
If you consider yourself part fashion aficionado, part eco-warrior, you’ll instantly fall in love with designer Angus Tsui and his eponymous high-fashion label.
Tsui’s sustainably designed, sourced and produced autumn/winter 2020 collection is inspired by the future – it's 2120 and our planet is facing a catastrophic meltdown due to overpopulation and environmental disaster. In this high-pressure concept, fashion and futurism collide to form the basis of Tsui’s collection.
But though the designer's ideas are highly conceptual, his clothing never ceases to be utterly wearable, with fine textures, eye-catching prints and creative silhouettes consistent throughout his creations. Tsui’s focus on interchangeable design also ensures the wearer always carries this combination of elegance meets sustainability.
BETTIE
Bettie, by Hong Kong-based designer Bettie Jiang, is all about the fabric. Beautifully produced, attentively selected and delicately cut, the fine fabrics used in Bettie’s work don’t just look stylish, but have an eco-friendly message too, each being made of natural fibre and eco-friendly materials.
Jiang has impressive credentials behind her, having graduated from the University of the Arts London, and then having learnt the ropes of the industry – and all about the intricacies of bespoke British tailoring – in the fashion studios of none other than Alexander McQueen and Giles Deacon.
Now her namesake brand will showcase its Autumn/Winter 2020 collection at LFW, entitled AWAKEN. Bettie’s first womenswear collection is striking, architectural and inspired by geometry, with sharp tailoring and exquisite fabrics aiming to empower its wearer to truly be themselves.
Consisting of design duo Jessica Lau and Walter Kong, BLIND by JW combines the varied skill and experience of both talents to present bold and striking looks.
Lau graduated from Central Saint Martins Art and Design College in London, and worked at a number of luxury fashion houses including Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Diane Von Furstenberg, while Kong graduated from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and won recognition at the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest in 2007. No biggie.
We love the creative tailoring, colourful prints and fusion of Asian and European influences, but what everyone will be talking about this London Fashion Week is the brand’s modern blend of fashion and technology, best seen in its “Discarvery” scarves. These silk accessories are subtly imprinted with QR codes, which enable travellers to gain quick access to landmark maps – the perfect gift for a jet-setting friend.
Having presented collections at Fashion Weeks around the world, from Tokyo and New York to Milan and Paris, award-winning designer Yeung Chin – and his eponymous brand – is no stranger to capturing the attention of a room.
Known for his memorable presentations and asymmetrical designs, Yeung earned his fashion stripes during a scholarship at The University of Westminster in London. He developed a particular passion for the arts, having designed costumes for the City Contemporary Dance Company and continues to find clever ways to incorporate the power of dance into his work.
His Autumn/Winter 2020 collection, You Bring Light To The Darkness, is sure to be impactful, having been inspired by the funeral of someone beloved by Yeung. Unexpected aesthetics that fuse Asian and British Victorian influences, accompanied by the theatrical interpretation of funeral rituals, will make the presentation one to remember.
Want to see these designs come to life? Register your interest for the LFW presentations at fashion_hongkong@wearevillage.com and follow Fashion Hong Kong on Instagram @hktdcfashionhk
The presentation is part of the Fashion Hong Kong promotion campaign 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
