CENTRESTAGE being positioned as Asia's Fashion Spotlight will be held from September 7 to 10 this year. An exciting new event is projected to promote Asian designers and fashion brands to buyers. The show will be a combination of exhibition,  runways and trend seminars."

HKTDC is all set to introduce a new show named CENTRESTAGE this September to showcase regional and global fashion. The four-day show being positioned as Asia's Fashion Spotlight will be held at the HK Exhibition and Convention Centre from September 7 to 10 this year. The inaugural show, an exciting new event is projected to promote international and local designers and fashion brands to buyers in Asia with a star-studded line-up of regional and international brands and designers.

 

CENTRESTAGE is projected to be a dedicated marketing platform for international and regional brands, ready to wear and designer labels, with a focus on Asia. Exhibitors can reach regional media, invited fashionistas and fashion buyers, especially from multi-brand stores, select shops, department stores, and fashion e-tailers. An impressive array of events will be held during the fair, making it a premier launch pad to showcase latest collections to the fashion industry.

Show promises never a dull moment “The show will be a combination of exhibition, runways and trend seminars. The first event aims to have a compact size with around 200 participants. Two formats of fashion shows ‘medium’ and ‘large’ are being planned. Medium shows will have an audience base of 400 while large shows would see 800 to 1,000 audiences. We are targeting emerging brands, labels, established and young designers to participate in the event,” explained Byron Lee, Senior Exhibitions Manager, HKTDC talking exclusively to FashionatingWorld.

The show will have four formats for participants. ‘Glam’ for top brands that exemplify hallmark of quality; ‘Allure’ for sophisticated styles that captivate the senses; ‘Metro’ for trendy and sporty designs for daily and casual wear; ‘Forward’ for edgy fashion created by young designers and new labels. The show is a revamped version of World Boutique, Hong Kong, an event that was being held every year coinciding with January show of Fashion Week for the last 13 years. It is being repositioned and rechristened as CENTRESTAGE. “The idea is to align with the latest international fashion calendar, finding the right ‘gap’ in buyers’ calendar,” opines Byron. Explaining further he adds, “The Asia specific event will have an exploding start with new trends featured through runway shows. The show shall have citywide promotions.”

Spotlight is on Asia Established and young designers from HK, Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea including India would be participating and offering their products and creations for buyers seeking Asia specific offerings. “We shall welcome buyers from the US, and from the western world but with Asia focused offerings. Asian buyers and Asian products though is the main focus. Emerging country like India would also be a target for designers and brands to showcase. We would be looking for importers, MBOs, select shops, department stores and fashion etailers et al as buyers,” informs Byron, adding that they would be equally targeting brands and designers for participation. However, the number of participant designers would be more from HK.

On whether this would be an ‘Asia to Asia’ focused show, he says, “Yes and no. Of course, the focus is more for Asian offerings. Western buyers’ calendar is generally very tight during September/October and buyers at CENTRESTAGE wouldn’t be looking for western products.”

CENTRESTAGE will further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s fashion hub and the annual Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC), which has discovered many talented local designers over the years, will also be held during CENTRESTAGE this year. YDC 2016, will be held under new rules, with four prizes to be awarded: Champion, first runner-up, second runner-up, and Best Footwear & Accessories Design Award (sponsored by i.t). “We are thinking of re-introducing ‘Fashion Extravaganza’ that was part of our earlier World Boutique Fashion Weeks in CENTRESTAGE, where celebrities would be invited in all the shows. The fourth and last day of CENTRESTAGE shall also be open to consumers.”