As fashion houses and labels present their Autumn/Winter collections, it’s a busy period for the industry globally. Fashion Week in Asia’s style capitals have shown impressive results recently, and Shanghai Fashion Week (SFW) in particular has promoted many emerging Asian designers and captured the imagination of Chinese fashion buyers and the media alike. During A/W17 Shanghai Fashion Week (7-14 April), show organisers and retailers invited edgy young designers to present their latest collections in the official line-up and other trade shows to discover emerging talents in Hong Kong.  

LABELHOOD at Shanghai Fashion Week

KA WA KEY, founded by Key Chow and Jarno Leppanen, was invited to participate in an exhibition on GQ China Day (10 April) at LABELHOOD, and presented an inaugural collection that targeted wholesale and boutique buyers. A community of brands and designers who share similar interests, LABELHOOD is an independent fashion presentation platform that promotes emerging Asian fashion brands with distinct concepts. KA WA KEY’s 2017 A/W collection was presented in the form of an exhibition so that buyers and the media could communicate with the designer directly and effectively showcase the brand’s concept – exploring Asian male identity while integrating East and West aesthetics.

YNOT SHOWROOM

Initiated by YMOYNOT, YNOT SHOWROOM is a comprehensive platform aiming to promote global creativity. From 7-13 April, YNOT SHOWROOM invited 12 emerging Chinese designer labels to showcase their latest work in edgy hotspot THE MIXED PLACE in Shanghai. The exhibition spanned apparel, accessories, footwear and other lifestyle products, with two Hong Kong brands, HANG and MODEMENT in attendance. 

HANG is renowned for its mastery of fabric and sophisticated cutting techniques. Designer Mim Mak has presented previous collections at Fashion Weeks in New York, Tokyo and Paris, and wowed Chinese fashion buyers with her pioneering A/W 17 collection. 

Founded by designer Aires Sin, MODEMENT encapsulates a unique androgynous style. With its statement menswear collection, the brand illustrated its dedication to simple cutting and sharp silhouettes. 

There were many events happening in the city during Shanghai Fashion Week, and while YNOT SHOWROOM was not an official fashion week event it still managed to attract a considerable amount of buyers, who were able to familiaise themselves with some of Hong Kong’s hottest designers.