HK fashion shows its creativity

Annette Chan says that when it comes to fashion, Hong Kong is near the top.

"Westerners used to think all the finest leather clothes come from Italy, now the situation has changed," she said.

Chan was one of four leading Hong Kong fashion designers taking part in New York Fashion Week, showcasing the city's fashion creativity to industry elites and style influencers from the US and around the world. The event was held Friday at Industria by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

"Hong Kong is well known for its unique culture, where both Eastern and Western culture can be reflected in our city, so you can find the uniqueness and also characteristics of all these design elements in the collections of fashion designers from Hong Kong," said Ralph Chow, regional director of Americas at HKTDC.

Chan has 30 years' experience in the industry, specializing in leather. With her own label, Anvesglosa, that she created in 2017, Chan showcases her definition of fine clothing: high-quality materials, figure-flattering cuts and exquisite craftsmanship.

Anvesglosa has attracted high-end retailers from overseas, including Harvey Nichols, Galeries Lafayette Beijing and Lane Crawford.

Chan said she also has a large number of customers in New York.

"I want to reach out to more by attending the Fashion Week," she said.

The theme of Chan's latest collection is L'Opera, which emphasizes the feminine silhouette paired with compelling layers.

"The collection demonstrates my aesthetic through delicate application of different material combinations," Chan said, adding that she uses fine lambskin leather with a touch of shearling and silk.

The collective runway show also featured collections from Harrison Wong and the design duo Lary Cheung and Yi Chan.

"I would describe my style as understated elegance," said Wong, who returned to the show for the third year in a row.

Wong's namesake brand offers contemporary apparel and accessories for urban males. The label specializes in edgy, aggressive designs that also display an understated elegance.

Wong said the apparel and accessories of his brand are emphasizing high-quality yet affordable clothes, stressing that fine design and taste are not necessarily determined by the price tag.

For his current collection, Wong turned to Mark Rothko, the mid-20th century Abstract Expressionist, whose powerful paintings consist of blurred blocks of vibrant colors with blacks and grays.

The brand Heaven Please+ was founded by Cheung and Yi Chan in 2011. They are devoted to applying the arts, music and literature to their design concepts and sketches, to empower fashion with insightful and perceptual values.

The brand's latest collection was inspired by the novel Wrong Number by Hong Kong writer Liu Yichang. The collection blended 1950's Western style with Hong Kong high fashion.

"I think Westerners might not be able to understand the story we tried to convey through our design, but they surely can feel the beauty," Yi Chan said.

HKTDC also has launched the Fashion Hong Kong showroom at Showroom Seven, a professional B2B showroom, during New York Fashion Week, which runs from Feb 7-20.