"Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 25th Hong Kong Fashion Week Spring/Summer ended recently. The four-day fair held from July 9-12, 2018 attracted around 11,000 buyers from 65 countries and regions. The participating countries included: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam recorded considerable growth. Around 15 fashion events, including fashion shows, industry forecasting and fashion tech seminars, a buyer forum and a networking reception were held during the fair to generate business opportunities for industry professionals."
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 25th Hong Kong Fashion Week Spring/Summer ended recently. The four-day fair held from July 9-12, 2018 attracted around 11,000 buyers from 65 countries and regions. The participating countries included: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam recorded considerable growth. Around 15 fashion events, including fashion shows, industry forecasting and fashion tech seminars, a buyer forum and a networking reception were held during the fair to generate business opportunities for industry professionals.
As Benjamin Chau, Deputy executive Director, HKTDC said, “The global economy is now facing significant
challenges, with the impact of the Sino-US trade friction. Hong Kong companies should stay competitive by launching diversified products and designs, and by exploring emerging markets. Besides participating in trade fairs, they should also engage in promotions with online sourcing platforms and social media, to reach more global buyers.”
Fashion and technology have merged and formed a new trend in recent years, where more and more innovative technologies are incorporated in fashion design, manufacturing, sourcing and sales. During the fashion week, HKTDC organised seminars such as 'The Next Wave in Fashion Technology' and 'Online Shopping Reshapes the Fashion Industry' so as to discuss the latest fashion tech applications and explore marketing strategies for online fashion sales, offering useful insights for both exhibitors and buyers. ‘The next wave in fashion industry’ seminar session explored wearable tech in thermostatic clothing and how to get the accurate shapes and sizes using smart 3D human modelling technology.
On-site orders received
The four-day fair brought latest market intelligence and fashion tech to buyers and created many sourcing opportunities for the industry. Mohamed Sadhique, a buyer from UAE’s Lamia Garments Manufacturing, said it was his second visit to the fair to source laces and other fabrics. He had already placed on-site orders with two suppliers from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. The orders from Hong Kong supplier were worth about $250,000, while the order from Chinese mainland supplier was around $45,000.” He said Hong Kong is an excellent place to source fabrics and expects to develop business with more new suppliers for a mix of laces and fabrics.
Variety of products on display
The Hong Kong exhibitor MsEnvy has been displaying at the fair for many years and leveraged the platform to launch an array of silk womenswear each year to capture buyers’ attention. This year, the company offered womenswear with 300 styles to buyers. Jun MK Wong, MD, MsEnvy, said that a number of new customers including buyers from Canada, Japan, Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries showed interest in their designs. A new buyer from Italy was keen on purchasing some styles in silk and polyester, and the order was expected to be finalised within three to six months. She also pointed out existing customers from Italy and Australia returned to make new orders, while the company has established cooperation with another new Australian company to develop new collections.
To cater to the demand for sourcing in small amounts, the show once again set up the hktdc.com Small Orders zone, featuring nearly 100 showcases and garment racks with close to 300 products, which are available for orders in minimum quantities of between five and 1,000 pieces. During the four-day event, 2,700 buyers visited the zone and 6,000 connections were established. The third edition of CENTRESTAGE, a platform for international, especially Asian fashion brands and designers to promote their brands and launch their collections, will be held September 5-8, 2018.
