Hong Kong designers turn the city’s pulse into fashion at CENTRESTAGE

Hong Kong designers brought the city’s energy, culture and memories to the runway at the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show during CENTRESTAGE on Thursday night (Sep 3).

Four local labels — 112 mountainyam, ANGUS TSUI, ARTY:ACTIVE and Z I D I — presented their SS27 collections under the theme “Hong Kong Dopamine.”

For ARTY:ACTIVE designer Gary Tsang, sport was part of the show itself. Professional athletes took to the runway to demonstrate the brand’s latest training wear, highlighting its focus on sports, health and fashion.

Speaking to The Standard, Tsang said the growing popularity of hybrid sports such as HYROX has also shaped the way he approaches sportswear. Having been an athlete himself, he puts functionality and the wearer’s needs first, considering factors such as fabric, structure, comfort and performance rather than focusing solely on aesthetics.

His SS27 collection “Messy Symphonic” draws inspiration from Hong Kong’s nightscape and neon lights. Rather than simply reproducing the city’s iconic neon signs, Tsang distorted and reconstructed their forms, combining them with 1980s and 1990s cyberpunk influences and a sportswear aesthetic.

Tsang said Hong Kong’s mix of Chinese and Western influences gives local designers a distinctive perspective. Looking ahead, he hopes to incorporate more Hong Kong elements into his designs while maintaining an international image and standard of quality.

If Tsang found inspiration in the city’s neon glow, ANGUS TSUI looked to a much darker side of Hong Kong.

Tsui told The Standard that his SS27 collection “404: Ha Ha Haunting” explores fear and what happens when people try to escape their problems instead of confronting them.

Hong Kong’s 1980s horror films provided a starting point, particularly their use of practical effects, props and make-up. Rather than relying heavily on CGI, those films used tangible effects to create a stronger sense of fear — an approach Tsui translated into details resembling torn skin, exposed organs and restraints.

For Tsui, horror fits the idea of “Hong Kong Dopamine” because it allows people to experience fear without being in real danger, turning a frightening experience into a source of excitement.

A flower-covered look offers another Hong Kong reference. Tsui said that while the flower is not the bauhinia, it represents human connection in his own creative world, reflecting the warmth, communication and reconciliation he associates with Hong Kong.

His designs have also reached audiences beyond Hong Kong. Stray Kids members Felix and Bang Chan have worn ANGUS TSUI pieces, which Tsui described as a significant moment for the brand. He said the exposure brought a wave of new audiences from countries including the US and Germany to his work.

“We are very versatile, and we are very good at doing different styles,” Tsui said of Hong Kong’s fashion scene.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓