6 January, 2014

Glamorous Fur Fashion Shines at the Great Gatsby Mansion

 Today’s Highlights   Tomorrow’s Big Hits

Can the splendour of fur fashion compare to the glamour of the Great Gatsby? Hong Kong fashionistas looked on as 30 grand pieces of fur fashion were showcased tonight (6 January, 2014) at the Great Gatsby mansion as part of the Fur Design Competition 2014, an annual event organized by the Young Executive Committee (YEC) of the Hong Kong Fur Federation (HKFF). Young Hong Kong designers crafted striking fur pieces at the event, where award-winning runway pieces will go on to represent Hong Kong at REMIX, the International Fur Design Competition in Milan, against other international contestants.

Hong Kong has always been the world’s leading fur centre. Its reputation has steadily grown thanks to creative designs, excellent craftsmanship and quality after-sales service. Many of the grand pieces displayed on the runway tonight could be big hits tomorrow. In fact, young contestants from Hong Kong have been crowned with the Gold Prize in previous years, making the event a valuable opportunity for young designers desiring to break into the industry.

Ms. Annie Yip, Chairman of YEC, said at the event, “Fur is loved by many top international designers. The recent fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, New York and London beautifully demonstrated the very best of fur. Currently, over 550 fashion designers around the world indulge in the exquisiteness of fur. Fendi, Tom Ford, Burberry, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karen, Michael Kors and many other couture, high-street fashion designers blend elements of fur into their magnificent works of art.”

“Fur fashion is not just about nostalgia; it’s a versatile and creative way to keep ahead of the curve. We are responsible for providing a platform for emerging talent in this exciting era of fashion,” Annie added.

For this year’s competition, HKFF received a total of 324 works, with 19 Full Fur and 11 Fur Combination entrants vying in the final competition round for seven awards. These works were examined and evaluated by high-calibre judges, including Mr. Benjamin Chau, Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Mr. Kevin Yeung, Chairman of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association; Mrs. Selina Chow, Party Chair of Liberal Party; Mr. Nurzhan Abdymomunov, Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong and Macao SARs; Mrs. Paola Guida, Trade Commissioner of the Italian Trade Commission in the HKSAR; Mr. Timothy W. Everest, Managing Director of Cyril Murkin (HK) Ltd; Ms. Julie Maria Iversen, Head of Kopenhagen Nexus, Kopenhagen Fur; Mr. Joe Morelli, President and CEO of American Legend Cooperative; and famous socialites in town including Mr. Charles Yang, BBS, JP and Mrs. Olivia Davies.

Mr. Kevin Yeung, Chairman of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, said, “Hong Kong has always been a major point of attraction for the global fur industry. The incredible quality of Hong Kong’s fur products is a great source of pride for the city, and has made the local industry globally renowned. Tonight’s luxurious runway pieces reinforce fur fashion here and abroad as both vibrant and youthful.”

HKFF has once again invited famous local fashion designers to collaborate with its members this year. Together, they tastefully created “Designers Love Fur”, a classy collection that served as the night’s grand finale. Eight designers contributed to the special collaboration, including Ms. Bonita Cheung, Ms. Lu Lu Cheung, Mr. Arthur Lam, Ms. Hei Lau, Mr. Lo Sing Chin, Ms. Hidy Ng, Mr. William Tang and Mr. Kevin Yeung.

Likewise, scores of the city’s fashion icons and designers gathered in the venue to witness the latest fur fashion trends. Celebrities included Mr. & Mrs. Brandon & Jenny Chau, Mr. & Mrs. Ryan & Sandee Sun, Ms. Emily Tang, Ms. Lianne Lam, Ms. Lucy Yang, Ms. Kathy Chiu, Ms. Janice Kwan Choi, Ms. Helen Fong, Ms. Catleigh Hung, Ms. Maria Wu, Ms. Yumi Honda, Ms. Betty Chong, Ms. Helen Rong, Ms. Yvette Yung etc.

Special thanks to the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association for its support

for the “Designers Love Fur” project.

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