Future Tribes: Elevating the Ambience of Centrestage

A Radical and Contemporary Visual for the Event Organiser Space

Centrestage, a 4-day fashion event held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, showcased 240 contemporary fashion brands within a 9000m2 space. To create an eye-catching theme that would elevate the show's ambience and reflect its core mission of finding new fashion talent, the event organizer turned to the concept of Future Tribes. This concept revolved around mixing new and traditional cultural elements, symbolism, belief systems, and new technology.

The design team, led by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, transformed three areas of the event space: the entrance concourse, the central display inside the exhibition hall, and the catwalk area. Despite the limited onsite set-up time of only 3 days, the team managed to create a visually stunning and cohesive experience.

One of the key challenges was the tight set-up schedule. To overcome this, all the design formats were prefabricated off-site and reassembled onsite. The walls were made from reusable aluminum structural frames covered with stretched vinyl graphics, mesh, polycarbonate sheets, and mirror finish. The team also incorporated audio and visual equipment, LED screens, mechanical moving technology with triangulated shaped lights, a free-standing holo fan, and 3D holograph LEDs.

The entrance concourse, spanning 1000m2, featured four freestanding holographic fan displays emitting images of random typography and symbolisms. Colorful super graphics vinyl walls and carpets, along with a large LED screen, completed the entry experience. Inside the exhibition hall, a 185m2 central display showcased suspended moving triangle-shaped LEDs hovering above mannequins on wooden LED plinths. In the catwalk arena, a 2m diameter wide and 4m high 3D LED display unit sat centrally, emitting messages and pulsating titles of upcoming fashion shows. The catwalk backdrop, standing at 4m high, was finished with a mirror on a plywood backing.

The Future Tribes concept came to life through the interaction of the design elements. The first impression began at the entry concourse, where the holo fan display units and large LED screens captivated visitors. Inside the hall, the suspended motorized triangulated LED shapes added a dynamic and futuristic touch to the central display. Finally, the open catwalk space featured a 3D holograph LED display unit that emitted messages and titles, creating an immersive experience for the audience.

The Future Tribes design project took 3 months from initial briefing to onsite completion. It was launched on September 4, 2019, and ran for 4 days. Located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, Centrestage aimed to uplift the image of the show and differentiate it from other fashion trade shows in the region.

The Future Tribes concept was the result of extensive research into various cultural origins, symbolisms, runes, belief systems, and aesthetic details. By learning from the past and mixing these elements with technology, the design team created a new visual identity and reality for Centrestage. The goal was to create a radical and fearless future in fashion for a new generation.

The Future Tribes design for Centrestage was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Event and Happening Design category in 2021. This recognition highlights the outstanding and creatively ingenious nature of the design, which incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology. The design contributes to quality of life improvements and makes the world a better place.