Increasing buyer attendance from Asia coupled with a surge of European
sellers seeking fresh fashion markets was a profitable match helping to bring
nearly HK$2 billion worth of business to the 27th Hong Kong Fashion
Week--Fall/Winter which closed last Saturday (20 January).
Rapidly rising spending power in Asia was causing a major shift in the
fashion industry's global buying patterns, and this was being reflected in the
fair, said the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's deputy senior manager, Mr
Patrick Wong:
"This year has been a turning point for the Hong Kong Fashion Week.
The event has captured a two-fold reputation - it has now become the launching
platform to sell fashion to the expanding consumer markets in Asia, in addition
to being the place to source garments manufactured in the region,"he said.
"Significant increases in buyers from markets such as Korea - up 88.5
per cent, Japan - up 48.4 per cent, and China - up 33.2 per cent, contributed
to the marked rise in the proportion of overseas visitor numbers. Out of the
30,770 trade visitors during the four-day event, about one-quarter or 7,770
buyers arrived from around 80 countries or regions,"Mr Wong said.
"There was a tripling in the total number of European and American
fashion houses at Hong Kong Fashion Week this year. There were a total of 102
European exhibitors - up 209 per cent, and 16 American exhibitors compared to
six last year," he said noting the most significant growth was in the
number of Italian, German and UK clothing and accessories companies
participating for the first time.
Meanwhile, more than one-third of the 842 fashion exhibitors at the
TDC-organised fair arrived from overseas.
"Hong Kong Fashion Week is Asia's largest fashion promotion event and
widely-recognised by buyers worldwide, particularly those in the region, as the
place to source world fashion products,"he said.
Buyers placed on-the-spot orders amounting to HK$540 million with another
HK$1.44 billion of orders under negotiation. Total business results remained
stable from last year.
These observations were widely supported by international fashion industry
representatives, who noted that Hong Kong was now the gateway for European and
North American clothing companies seeking success with consumers in Asia.
Managing director of Igedo Company, the co-organiser of the "Europe
Pavilion"at the fair, Mr Gerald Bose, noted that the fair's expansion
mirrored growing consumer incomes and sophisticated fashion tastes in Asia:
"Label and brand-consciousness of consumers in Asia will surely
increase with continued economic growth and consumer spending. We are just
seeing the beginning of an evolution of using Hong Kong Fashion Week to
introduce European garments to Asian markets. This is in contrast to five years
ago where European companies came to this fair merely to buy garments,"said
Mr Bose who is based in Igedo's Dusseldorf office.
Noting that the emphasis was on presenting European companies with
well-known upper-market collections, he said:
"There are already signs of this trend with famous European designers
showing their collections here. Ultimately, we can see Hong Kong Fashion Week
hosting world premieres of collections of the major fashion houses,"said Mr
Bose.
Co-organised by Ente Moda Italia and sponsored by the European Commission,
the Europe Pavilion, featured 54 European companies from seven countries under
the motto, "Europe comes to Asia."
Fresh markets in Asia were also targeted by a major British representation,
organised by the British Department of Trade and Industry. Among the British
contingent showing their collections in Hong Kong for the first time was company
owner and designer, Yifat Brandt whose clothes targetting career women are
featured in designer boutiques in the UK, Switzerland and Japan:
"This is my first time in Hong Kong and the response has been great.
There is such a vast market looking for a European style with quality fabrics.
We have had very encouraging results from buyers from Taiwan, South Korea,
Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan representing department stores, merchandisers and
boutiques.
"These buyers wouldn't necessarily visit London, so Hong Kong Fashion
Week really exposes British designers to our new Asian target group on their own
ground. Resulting from 27th Hong Kong Fashion Week, I am now seriously
negotiating with large retailers from Taiwan and Korea,"she said.
A Hong Kong headquartered company focusing on casual, sportswear and denim
garments, Purple Pin Designs Ltd, is using Hong Kong Fashion Week to promote
business with buyers from the region.
"Asia is our key target although we have customers across the world.
We are investing heavily in this market and Hong Kong Fashion Week is our main
promotional effort for the region,"said the company's managing director, Mr
Farook Jamal.
For buyers, the event was a concentrated opportunity to survey an array of
international designer fashions and ready-made garments. European clothes
attracted the owner of Tokyo women's boutique, Kanemi Ltd, Mr Odashima Kanichi
to Hong Kong Fashion Week for the first time:
"There is the feeling that this is an international fashion centre
where many countries come to show their garments to Hong Kong and other Asian
countries. I have found Italian suits for women at a good price and style,"
he said.
Member of a delegation of around ten buyers from Japan, was merchandiser of
Tredia Fashion Co. Ltd - a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation, Ms Ayako Yui.
She observed the event's wide offerings:
"You can choose many materials here such as European yarns or Hong Kong
yarns. Then our company can provide designs or choose Hong Kong designs. We
are looking for ladies and menswear, as well as accessories and urban dress,"she
said.
European buyers seeking garments manufactured in Asia were also pleased with
the fair. Arriving for the fourth time for Hong Kong Fashion Week from Milan,
Italy was owner of Pop Corn - a designer-garment wholesale company - Ms
Alessandra Corbetta:
"I am very satisfied with the clothes from China in terms of cost and
quality of material. I am also searching for menswear and clothes for young
people,"she said.
Hong Kong Fashion Week is now held twice a year for Spring/Summer and
Fall/Winter collections for garment manufacturers to showcase their entire range
of clothes to international buyers.
Hong Kong is one of the world's largest garment exporters, with total
exports reaching HK$137 billion in the first 10 months of 1995. The clothing
industry accounted for one third of Hong Kong's total export earnings in 1994.
For press enquiries, contact Roslyn Young or Vanapa Ongvises of TDC's
Publicity Services, telephone: (852) 2584 4132.
