Hong Kong Fashion Fest 2024: Fashion Summit: Driving Sustainable Business Practices in Fashion
Fête Chinoise Exclusive: On the Ground in Hong Kong at the Inaugural Fashion Fest
Written by Deirdre Kelly
Photography: DeiRdre Kelly
The Fashion Summit 2024, now in its seventh year, served as a vital platform for promoting sustainable practices within the fashion industry when it took place in Hong Kong earlier this week. Held from November 26 to 28, this year’s summit embraced the theme “Power Up Sustainable Fashion Business,” continuing the momentum from previous years and reflecting a global shift towards eco-conscious business practices. With projections indicating that the sustainable fashion market was valued at US$7.8 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US$33 billion by 2030, the summit aimed to position Hong Kong as a leading hub for innovative and responsible fashion.
Carmelo Ficara, the Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong
Kicking off at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the summit featured an international conference that brought together representatives from around the world. Key addresses included remarks from Carmelo Ficara, the Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, who emphasized the importance of fostering international dialogue in fashion and business. He noted that Hong Kong would play a significant role in upcoming collaborations with Italy.
Organized by the Clothing Industry Training Authority (CITA) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, this event was part of the broader Hong Kong Fashion Fest, presented by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The summit also showcased a Lifestyle Pop-up Shop, highlighting local designers committed to sustainable practices.
Designer Shie Lyu
Designer Natacha Van
The event culminated in a series of fashion shows at Kai Tak Airside, located on the site of Hong Kong’s original airport, which has now transformed into a modern mixed-use development. This year’s International Fashion Show, titled “Time Travel,” celebrated the airport’s centenary and showcased collections from designers Natacha Van from Cambodia, Gilberto Calzolari from Italy, Igor Gulyaev from Russia, Kev Yiu from Hong Kong, and Shie Lyu from China.
Each participant presented collections focused on sustainability, with Calzolari’s innovative use of materials—such as a repurposed burlap coffee bag transformed into an eye-catching dress—highlighting the creative potential of sustainable fashion.
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