HK Fashion Week: A Symphony of Style and Innovation

HK Trade Development Council Transforms Trade Fair into a Fashionable Feast for the Senses

The HK Trade Development Council faced a unique challenge: to elevate the image of the 2016 HK Fashion Week from a mere sourcing fair to a marketing show. The solution? A harmonious blend of music and fashion, resulting in an eye-catching design that remained neutral to the 1500 fashion brands exhibiting. This concept was brought to life in the form of a physical entrance installation and a multi-functional space, both telling a story of the symbiotic relationship between music and fashion.

Two areas were provided by the organizers to uplift the image of the event. First, an installation was created at the venue’s main entrance under the concept 'fashion of music' to welcome attendees. This was made using a 5m high LED monolith, themed mannequins, and large lit title signage. Following this concept, a 350m2 multifunctional space inside the main exhibition hall, named the 'music station', was built. This space hosted fashion shows, open seminars, and served as a bar and lounge for informal meetings.

One of the objectives was to create less waste. The backdrop walls were built with lightweight reusable aluminium systems cladded with soundproofing foam and backlit LED for the entrance installation. For the multifunctional space, biodegradable carpets were used. The backdrop wall was built with a reusable aluminium system cladded with black metal mesh. Real instruments mixed with vinyl or foam board graphics were used for ornamentation.

The entrance installation consisted of a 5m high x 3.5m wide LED monolith. Mannequins posed with real instruments juxtaposed 1.5 m high lettering made of plywood paint finish and incandescent light bulbs. The Music Station multifunctional space was 350m2 x 5m high. Real instruments mixed with vinyl or foam board graphics were used for ornamentation.

The flow was important and an entrance installation was created to heighten the visitors’ first impression by visual impact when they entered into the fair. Once inside the exhibition hall, the attendees could easily locate the central multi-functional space which carried on the music and fashion concept as a flexible functioning space called 'music station'. The organiser’s design work was a transformative contribution to the overall image of this fashion fair.

The project duration was 3 months from initial briefing to onsite completion. It was located at the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Centre HKCEC in Wan Chai Hong Kong and the event ran for 4 days starting from the 18th to 21th of January, 2016. This Design was awarded Golden in A' Event and Happening Design Award in 2017, a testament to the innovative and impactful design that significantly influenced the world of fashion.