A December pop-up in London is showcasing six Hong Kong fashion designers that are exploring exciting innovations in sustainability and new approaches to building brands, focusing on new fabrications and fresh takes on textiles.
15 December 2022
Fashion Hong Kong – Sustainable Designer Showcase
Innovation in sustainability and leadership in design are the basis of an international fashion showcase taking place in London this month spotlighting six Hong Kong designers.
The Fashion Hong Kong – Sustainable Designer Showcase is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, both of which promote the territory’s businesses around the world.
Open until the end of December, the pop-up is hosted with support from The Mills Fabrica – an innovation platform that supports companies’ transitions to more sustainable futures through collaboration.
The event aims to promote not only the emerging Hong Kong fashion brands to new international audiences, but also their smart approaches to new sustainable design practices and business models.
It is taking place at Fabrica X, The Mills Fabrica’s concept store and gallery in London’s Kings Cross.
The six designers debuted their spring/summer ‘23 collections earlier this year on the catwalk of Centrestage, a fashion event in Hong Kong, and were selected to showcase their designs at the London platform based on their innovations in driving positive change, and educating consumers to make conscious purchases.
The event was also held in collaboration with Novetex Textiles, a yarn spinner headquartered in Hong Kong. In 2018 it launched The Billie System, a sustainable, waterless process that upcycles textile waste into new yarn. Each of the participating designers used Novetex upcycled yarn within their SS23 show pieces and highlight the diverse ways it can be used in fashion.
Drapers brings you a preview of the six designers on show.
112 Mountainyam
Mountain Yam launched his ready-to-wear label 112 Mountainyam in 2014, and focuses on bold colours, textures and prints.
In 2020 the brand shifted to a sustainable focus and debuted a collection focusing on local production, craftsmanship, community, responsible materials and waste reduction.
Today it only produces clothing in small quantities and has launched a bespoke orders system to help minimise waste.
Upcycled and recycled materials, and deadstock fabrics are used throughout, the brand also recently worked with hospitality firms to upcycle hundreds of uniforms that otherwise would have been thrown away.
112mountainyam.com
Angus Tsui
Angus Tsui’s tailored men’s and women’s wear designs have been seen on some of Hong Kong’s biggest stars. Experimental and futuristic, the brand is known for its structural silhouettes, graphic shapes and unusual use of materials.
In response to disposable fast fashion, Angus Tsui focuses on high-quality, trans-seasonal collections, as well as more sustainable fabrications that include plant-based vegan options, and recycled polyester blended with wool.
angustsui.com
Bettie Haute Couture
After gaining experience in the London design studios of Alexander McQueen and Giles Deacon, Bettie Jiang launched her bespoke label Bettie Haute Couture in Hong Kong.
The designer takes inspiration from architecture and geometric patterns, creating structured yet feminine designs with modern takes on tailoring.
As part of the brand’s sustainable ethos, Bettie Haute Couture uses only natural fibres, such as wool, silk, cotton and recycled cotton. It also focuses a zero-waste pattern technique, which aims to reduce waste through design and production processes.
bettieboutique.com
Blind by JW
Blind by JW is a womenswear and accessories brand founded by Jessica Lau and Walter Kong that bridges eastern and western influences to create what it calls “wearable works of art”.
The brand concentrates on four sustainable pillars: recycled yarns, the use of deadstock fabrics, zero waste garment design and reusing offcuts of material collected from factories.
It also aims to lessen its environmental impact by following a “zero inventory” approach with its ”Weaveasy” designs. It hosts workshops where customers weave their own Blind by JW bags using vegan leather offcuts, meaning designs are bespoke, but also made to order each time by the shopper, cutting down on over-production.
blindbyjw.com
Sun=Sen
Launched by Sun Lam, streetwear label Sun=Sen aims to represent her family’s multicultural background with playful designs.
For instance, several garments come with a fun double-sleeve design detail, enabling shirts and tops to be worn throughout seasons with either cooler short sleeves or warmer long sleeves – extending the use and life of the designs, and promoting the idea of fewer, more considered purchases.
Since 2019 the brand has switched to incorporating more natural materials in its collections, including organic cotton and bamboo.
Surplus materials and deadstock fabrics are also used across some limited edition ranges, focusing on patchwork, handcraft and weaving techniques to create items that are one of a kind.
sunequalsen.com
V Vissi
Collaboration and circularity are central to V Vissi’s approach to sustainability. For its unisex creations, the brand collects offcuts from European fashion factories and reuses the unwanted fabrics – which would otherwise go to landfill – to make its signature one-off blazers and unique jackets.
The brand also works with local grassroots organisations, local factories and retired seamstresses to make its bespoke garments locally.
@vvissi_re_visit
Fashion Hong Kong – Sustainable Designer Showcase
The Mills Fabrica, 36-40 York Way, London N1 9AB
09:00 – 18:00 (Monday-Friday)
09:00 – 16:00 (Friday 23 December)
Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and 28-30 December
Click here to find out more
TagsFabrics Fashion Hong Kong Hong Kong sustainability sustainable fashion
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