Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), and one of the core events of the third edition of “Hong Kong Fashion Fest”, CENTRESTAGE, the annual highlight of the Asian fashion scene, will be held from 2 to 5 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. As the grand opening show on the first day of the fair (2 September), CENTRESTAGE ELITES will spotlight KIT WAN STUDIOS, a multidisciplinary design and visual art studio led by Hong Kong-born creative director and visual artist Kit Wan. The studio will present their forthcoming collection fusing sci-fi inspirations with mechanical aesthetics, blurring the boundaries between collectable and wearable fashion.Hong Kong has actively promoted a “Mega Events Economy” in recent years, with large-scale concerts and live performances becoming an increasingly important component of the city’s cultural and creative landscape. Stage design and performance costumes are integral elements of the audience experience at such events. This year’s CENTRESTAGE ELITES is acclaimed for merging manga and mythology with bespoke, highly detailed metalwork, multimedia installations and cinematic garment design. The studio’s unique “abstract reality” approach spans everything from one-of-a-kind costume design to permanent museum exhibits.
As a performative costume designer and scenographer navigating the global entertainment industry, the artist treats sets and lighting as a collaborative canvas, seamlessly interweaving music, mood and entertainment elements. Designing “stage armour” for artists in Los Angeles at the Grammy Awards and Eurovision in the United Kingdom allow Hong Kong design to shine on top-tier global stages. Simultaneously, the studio remains deeply rooted in Cantopop, injecting a vibrant vitality into Hong Kong’s entertainment and performing arts industry. By infusing pop culture with avant-garde, bold and experimental aesthetics, he has pioneered a new visual dimension.
The studio’s collaborative roster of local superstars is formidable, encompassing Aaron Kwok, Hins Cheung, MC Cheung, Miriam Yeung, Nicholas Tse and Panther Chan, while his overseas portfolio includes Alan Cumming, Warhol icon Cherry Vanilla, singer/songwriter Teddy Swims and countless Scandinavian pop stars. From avant-garde garments that express a performer's identity to highly dramatic stage installations, the studio consistently employs a precise visual language to erase the boundaries between clothing, performance and art, creating unparalleled visual impact and cultural value.
Headlining this year's CENTRESTAGE ELITES, KIT WAN STUDIOS will stage its solo fashion show in Hong Kong, marking a homecoming for the studio founded by Hong Kong-born creative director and visual artist Kit Wan. “It feels like ‘THE’ moment for my work to come from my clearest voice, from my clearest mind. I am grateful to my collaborators (famous and otherwise) but with any partnership it is a shared vision. This collection is from my heart, my voice – so completely – and I am excited to share that with my hometown of Hong Kong.”
The artist first majored in knitwear design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University before extending his footprint to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, after a short stint in London where he was a “stage” for several British luminaries.
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