It was quite surreal to be back in ‘Fragrant Harbour’—the name Hong Kong goes by due to its Cantonese phonetic translation—after five years. Post-pandemic, the once bustling fashion capital now faces the conundrum of trying to rebuild itself as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, having seen a sizeable number of luxury fashion houses relocate their head offices to other parts of Asia amidst an anemic economy.
At the heart of this resurgence is an annual fashion event organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA). Featuring an array of fashion shows, parades, and seminars, and graced by some of the biggest names in the fashion industry, CENTRESTAGE serves as a platform for attendees to explore a variety of brands. The highlight? A show by couturier to the stars, Robert Wun.
The evening of London-based Hong Kong couture designer Robert Wun’s show was a homecoming as he proved exactly why he’s the greatest of all time (or, G.O.A.T) at the brutalist Hong Kong Palace Museum. There, attendees immersed themselves in Wun’s world, where the themes of kinship, nostalgia, and melancholy are given a ruinous twist, thanks to the designer’s fascination with horror films. The result was a 20-minute extravaganza that left the audience completely ravaged, with some rendered speechless by the sheer tension and spectacle.
As models wandered around what resembled a ceremonial centrepiece, the show opened with the wondrous “Adele” raindrop dress, which quickly transitioned into a series of 3D-printed limbs, anomalously draping around the body. The inspiration behind this? Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy with a thousand arms—perhaps a surrealistic nod to the multitasking woman of today. In Wun’s case, it was a tribute to his late grandmother.
Of course, the showstopper came in the form of a gazillion glass beads mimicking angry splotches of paint splattered across a white ensemble. It was as if the model had emerged from a riot, or from waiting for a lover while caught in a wintry blizzard. Artful and romantic all at once, it captivated the audience. The dress that truly stole the show for me, however, was Wun’s infamous “Bleeding Love” dress, which made its debut a season ago. A slinky gown adorned with red crystals, it evoked the idea of pain and bloodshed. “To face the hard truth is sometimes the most beautiful thing because it has the ability to make you feel something. Just like when you accept love, you first need to embrace pain,” Wun explains—a literary masterpiece dedicated to his beloved sister.
A show like tonight’s was a powerful reminder to the many creatives in all of us—a reminder that the purest form of design often stems from an acute sensitivity to history, culture, and the delicate balance of these with the nourishing power of kinship. This common thread can be seen across a new generation of couture designers, from the likes of Yuima Nakazato to Cheney Chan.
