HK meets NY in spectacular fashion

Clockwise from top: 1. Loom Loop FW17 Collection "Separated Lovers" inspired by Chinese story the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd. 2. Harrison Wong FW17 collection "Modern Monastic" inspired by monastic robes. 3. Vivienne Tam FW17 collection "City of Lights" celebrating 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. 4. Cynthia & Xiao FW17 Collection "Little Emperor" inspired by rabbit and tiger, the Chinese zodiac animals of the two designers. Provided To China Daily

Earlier on Wednesday morning, the council held a Fashion Hong Kong show featuring three young local brands: Cynthia & Xiao, Harrison Wong and Loom Loop.

HKTDC, the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based small- and medium-sized businesses, subsidized the show, holding a buyers' night event and collaborating with a showroom where more potential buyers and agents could peruse the collections over the next month.

"I'm so glad that more Chinese mainland designers, Hong Kong designers are here," said Tam, who first debuted her brand at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) in 1994. "The platform in New York is incredible, and the Hong Kong government is spending so much effort."

Clement Leung, the Hong Kong commissioner to the US, also attended Tam's show.

Leung told China Daily that the Hong Kong government has launched an incubation program to help design-focused startups build business networks and market their fashion products.

"We want to give them the international exposure and the experience they need," he said. "We encourage everyone to use Hong Kong as their inspiration."

Polly Ho of Loom Loop and Harrison Wong returned to NYFW after participating in the first Fashion Hong Kong show held by HKTDC in February 2016. Each is paying $9,000, and HKTDC covers the rest, which costs approximately $130,000.

"It would be impossible for us to show if we do it ourselves," said Ho. Her collections always draw inspiration from Chinese legends, and this season tells the story of the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd, the two separated lovers who are allowed to meet only once a year on a bridge formed by a flock of magpies.