11th CENTRESTAGE concludes successfully with over 12,000 buyers, setting new attendance record

Smilely Lam, Associate Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: "For many years, CENTRESTAGE has been committed to assisting fashion brands and designers in expanding into international markets. Entering its 11th edition this year, the fair brought together some 270 brands from 24 countries and regions, setting a record high in the number of participating brands. This includes several internationally renowned design brands participating in Hong Kong for the first time, such as DOUCAN and holynumber7 from Korea; Woody from Austria and VICETA WANG from Australia. The fair also drew a record number of local and international buyers for sourcing and business matching, including those from top-tier retail giants with global sales networks such as the United Kingdom’s Dover Street Market London and Selfridges, Italy’s 10 Corso Como, and Korea’s Musinsa. The dynamic interactions between exhibitors and buyers demonstrated that the fair successfully fostered cross-sector exchanges among fashion, art, cultural creativity, and lifestyle industries, opening up innovative modes of collaboration. This reflects how the fashion industry is rapidly integrating with diverse creative fields to unlock greater commercial potential. More than a showcase of design creativity, CENTRESTAGE serves as a vital platform that helps brands enhance visibility, expand business opportunities, and reach international markets."

Industry optimistic about streetwear brands markets as cross sector collaboration becomes a key trend

To understand the latest developments and market trends in the fashion industry, the HKTDC interviewed over 350 exhibitors and buyers on-site during the fair. The survey revealed an optimistic sentiment among respondents, with 96% expecting overall sales to remain steady or grow in the next 12 to 24 months. In terms of product trends, 58% of respondents identified fashion design as the most popular product category. Meanwhile, streetwear and cross-sector collaboration emerged as focal points, with 73% agreeing or strongly agreeing that brand crossovers and IP partnerships will become increasingly prevalent in the coming year, underscoring the market potential of integrating fashion with streetwear brands and IPs.

Responding to the rapid development of streetwear in recent years, CENTRESTAGE introduced the brand-new Hype² pavilion for the first time this year, spotlighting multiple fashion labels spearheaded by local celebrities and KOLs. Several brands launched about 30 limited-edition and debut products during the fair, with celebrities also visited the zone for close interaction with fans. Fashion brand and online store Claro was founded this year by actress Rosita Kwok. She said: “We joined the fair to strengthen the positioning of the new brand and to stay on top of market trends. During the event, we attracted interest from buyers in the Chinese Mainland, Japan and Germany, laying a foundation for future market expansion. Through direct engagement with shoppers and fans at the fair, we were also able to gather valuable feedback for the brand.”

Cross-sector collaboration collections also caught the attention of buyers. Local designer Janko Lam's brand "Classics Anew" collaborated with ink painting artist Kan Tai-keung, transforming Kan's ink art into inspiration. Their first collaboration collection, "Quartet", was officially launched at CENTRESTAGE. This year’s CENTRESTAGE also strengthened on-the-ground support for local exhibiting brands. Ronald Chan, founder of gothic silver jewellery brand Devil Claw and a participant in the pre-fair workshop, said: “The mentors provided highly valuable practical guidance. The workshop made me realise that international buyers look beyond design and price, and place even greater importance on a brand’s operational capability and potential for long-term partnership.” He added that the brand generated tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars in on-site retail sales during the exhibition and entered discussions with new buyers from France and Taiwan.

Active business exchanges between brands and buyers as the platform plays a superconnector roleKorea debuted as the "Featured Partner" of the fair for the first time. Jointly organised by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), HISEOUL SHOWROOM, and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hong Kong, presenting 12 renowned designer brands from Seoul. In addition, the Gyeonggi Fashion Creative Studio brings 10 distinguished fashion labels from Gyeonggi Province. Wilfred Chung, Project Manager of KOTRA Hong Kong, commended CENTRESTAGE’s quality business-matching environment. He said the stylish and sophisticated setting brings fresh experiences: “Visitor traffic on the pavilion’s opening day exceeded expectations, attracting more than 400 visits. Some brands have already reached deals with Hong Kong buyers to launch offline retail at a major shopping mall in Kai Tak.”

In addition to connecting with Hong Kong buyers, CENTRESTAGE also helped brands in the Korean pavilion expand into international markets. Antonio Shin, founder and designer of the namesake Korean fashion brand, presented the SS27 Collection featuring local fabrics and production. The brand successfully connected with department stores, chain retailers and specialty-store buyers from the Chinese Mainland, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia and Thailand. First-time exhibitor Asparagus, a Seoul-based avant-garde brand offering genderless high-end fashion, also drew strong buyer interest. Founder and designer Je Lee said: “The brand attracted attention from buyers in the Chinese Mainland, Southeast Asia and Australia. The fair is expected to generate initial orders of about US$6,000 to US$7,000, giving us a strong boost as we expand in the Asian market.”

Including Korea, this year's CENTRESTAGE brings together exhibitors from 24 countries and regions, among which Austria, Colombia, the Faroe Islands, Malaysia, Slovakia, and the United Arab Emirates participated for the first time. Jennifer Feigll, Consul (Commercial Affairs) and Austrian Trade Commissioner for Hong Kong and Macao, and Head of Advantage Austria Hong Kong, led a national pavilion for the first time in the Circular Fashion zone, presenting seven sustainable brands, most of which were making their debut in Asia. She said: “The fair is an excellent starting point for entering Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the wider Asian market. A number of brands have already begun discussions with buyers. Cape De Coeur’s waterproof cape, in particular, was featured by leading fashion titles Vogue and GQ.” Marianne Perkovic, Executive Chair, Australian Fashion Council, once again led a delegation to Hong Kong. She said: “The original plan of about 120 buyer meetings over the four-day fair increased to 180, with the strongest interest coming from buyers in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Indonesia and Korea. The team is now in talks with a major local shopping mall in Hong Kong on pop-up and long-term store collaborations for a new project scheduled to open in 2027. In addition, leather brand West 14th has already secured concrete partnerships with buyers from Korea and Japan.”

The fair attracted international buyers from leading department stores including Sophie Rose Davis-Evans, menswear and streetwear buyer at renowned British department store Selfridges, who was visiting CENTRESTAGE for the first time. She noted that the fair's diverse portfolio of brands provides an excellent platform for discovering emerging labels with strong potential for the UK and Western European markets. She said: “I met with more than 10 emerging brands during the fair, and two Hong Kong labels, peces and MURFI LAU, stood out in particular. We are negotiating a wholesale partnership.” Tifandy Okto, General Manager of Indonesia’s Galeries Lafayette, also overseeing sourcing for Sogo and Seibu, “We are particularly interested in Australia’s VICETA WANG and Chinese Mainland brand WANZZZ. Subject to suitable commercial terms, we plan to introduce their products to our retail outlets.”

Richie Chan, founder of well-known Chengdu fashion store Triple Major, visited the fair for the first time and spoke highly of the exhibition, noting that it successfully met his dual objectives of retail sourcing and elevating his own fashion brand. He placed three orders on the spot, including Danish brand Henrik Vibskov, which meets Paris Fashion Week standards, and Thai brand Collector Project, founded by a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium. He also connected with Austrian premium fabric supplier Lenzing to upgrade his own brand, and described the visit as highly rewarding.

The fair featured seven themed zones covering a diverse range of fashion sectors and design styles. New this year, the Perfume zone brought together renowned fragrance brands from around the world, with more than 20 brands making their Hong Kong debut. The zone attracted strong visitor interest and maintained a lively atmosphere throughout the fair. Moon Li, Founder of Artis Cultural Association, praised the fair's extensive media exposure and sophisticated presentation, noting that both had provided participating international perfume brands with outstanding visibility and results that far exceeded expectations. She said: "We were pleasantly surprised by the large number of fragrance enthusiasts in Hong Kong and their strong purchasing power. We expect on-site retail sales during the fair to reach HK$100,000." The fair also arranged business matching sessions to help exhibitors explore further collaboration opportunities. Looking ahead, Li expressed her special hope that, through CENTRESTAGE, the Perfume zone could evolve into Hong Kong's flagship fragrance event.

Record-breaking over 30 fashion shows and designers actively showcase new collectionsOver 40 captivating events were held during the fair, including more than 30 fashion shows, setting a record high in the event's history. This not only brought a rich visual feast to the industry and the public but also fully demonstrated the vitality and advantages of Hong Kong as a "mega-event capital". The event also underscored designers' commitment to presenting their latest collections, showcasing the exchange and integration of local and international fashion creativity.

The grand opening fashion show, CENTRESTAGE ELITES, took place first on 2 September, putting the spotlight on KIT WAN STUDIOS, a multidisciplinary design and visual art studio. Over 30 brand-new looks that had never been publicly released or exhibited made their debut at the fashion show, stunning the entire audience. Kit Wan also engaged in an in-depth exchange with Dan Hastings, Editor of The Business of Fashion, freely discussing the brand's experience in expanding into overseas markets and insights on creative inspiration. The venue was packed, and the audience responded enthusiastically.

Another spotlight event, the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show, was held on 3 September, presenting meticulously crafted Spring/Summer 2027 collections by four highly representative homegrown designer labels—112 mountainyam, ANGUS TSUI, ARTY:ACTIVE, and Z I D I.  Under the theme "Hong Kong Dopamine", the four designers drew inspiration from the city's streetscapes, architecture, cultural memories and urban energy. Through their Spring/Summer 2027 collections, they interpreted the concept of dopamine from different perspectives, spanning joy, black humour, dynamic movement and quiet resilience, delivering a runway experience infused with Hong Kong's distinctive creative spirit.

As a platform to promote local fashion brands and designers, the fashion website FASHIONALLY.COM continued to hold four fashion presentations during CENTRESTAGE this year, including FASHIONALLY Collection #26 and three FASHIONALLY Presentations, where local brands MARCCH, MURFI LAU, OUS, phenotypsetter, Oplus2, and Szmannie unveiled their latest collections. In addition, multiple local fashion brands also launched their latest collections through the CENTRESTAGE stage, including KEVYIU's "Inherited Silhouette" collection, transforming menswear elements from the 1970s and 1980s into womenswear, combining their signature fluid lines with distinctive, masterful tailoring.

Other brands presenting new works included VICTOR CHAN STUDIO x atelierYVF and Imellda Ho Millinery.

There was also a fashion showcase organised by the Fashion Farm Foundation, featuring works by designers from the Greater Bay Area; and the Knitwear Innovation and Design Society (KIDS) hosted the "Young Knitwear Designers' Runway 2026".

The "Sparkle Charity Foundation x Sparkle Collection: Next In Chinese Style – Young Designer Challenge 2026 Award Presentation Ceremony" , initiated by designer label SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN, recognised outstanding emerging design talent and promoted the preservation and innovation of Chinese fashion culture.

The grand finale of the 16th Redress Design Award, dedicated to driving circular fashion development, was also successfully held at CENTRESTAGE, with multiple awards successfully presented and the First Prize won by designer Jon Liesenfeld from Germany. Hong Kong designer Jasmine CheuCheuk won the Runner-up and the Hong Kong Best Prize.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/3StClfR

CENTRESTAGE: https://www.hktdc.com/event/centrestage/en

CENTRESTAGE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centrestage_hktdc/?hl=tc

Fashion Hong Kong: https://www.fashionhongkong.com/

Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC): https://www.fashionally.com/en/

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About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.

About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)

The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) since 2009, was established in June 2024.  CCIDA is  a dedicated office under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative sectorswith a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate development of the arts, culture and creative sectors as industries.  CCIDA’s strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary collaboration, promoting industrialisation of the arts, culture and creative sectors under the industry-oriented principle, and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community, thereby reinforcing Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and our positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

About Hong Kong Fashion Fest

Announced by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive in the 2023 Policy Address, "Hong Kong Fashion Fest" will be organised to develop Hong Kong into a fashion design hub in Asia. Through consolidating various fashion design events and introducing innovative elements and affiliate activities annually, the Hong Kong Fashion Fest promotes Hong Kong’s fashion and textile design brands and boosts Hong Kong’s position as a prime destination for hosting mega cultural and creative events. Under the theme "Rhythm of the Heart", the third edition of Hong Kong Fashion Fest will be held from 1 to 14 September 2026 at various landmarks in Hong Kong. The event will bring together eight flagship programmes organised by six industry organisations and, for the first time, will be combined with CENTRESTAGE - the annual fashion extravaganza organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council - to generate stronger synergies. The event will attract fashion design industry players from all over the world to come to Hong Kong; foster collaboration, innovation and business opportunities; establish platform for local and international fashion designers and brands and connect with different sectors in the fashion design industry of Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s position as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.