Posted on Sep 04, 2008

Like the rolling credits at the end of a film, the MasterCard Luxury Week Hong Kong 2008 final “best of” show visually capped a delicious Autumn/Winter 2008/09 preview week – 13 collections soon to make their way into savvy wardrobes across the city, in preparation for a well-togged fashion season ahead.

Jean Paul Gaultier obviously wowed the risk takers – I’m sure a zebra striped parka or two will stand out in the crowd come winter, worn over his strange printed tunic and fit and flare stretchy pants combo; Diane von Furstenberg’s ’40s inspired dresses and separates are going to be indispensable for the city chic work to restaurant set; and the BCBGMaxAzria collection is set to fly off the shelves primarily because the collection has grown up considerably.

Come evening, when the city lights start sparkling and the harbour is aglow, I’m seeing the contemporary luxe of Vera Wang coming out to play at elite parties and private clubs across the city; while the ladies who love an avante-garde entrance will appear in Kenzo’s kimono wraps to shield them from Hong Kong’s winter season ahead or perhaps a Marc Jacob blush coloured pod-shaped coat instead.

Through the week I pondered collections, but in the back of my mind I kept musing about what makes a fashion Luxury Week really tick in a city like Hong Kong. The answer was simple: people. Like no other Asian city - except perhaps Mumbai and Bangkok – is fashion and celebrity such an integral part of everyone’s life as it is in Hong Kong.

From the relentless pursuits of pictures and gossip at the intentionally placed paparazzi pit outside the ballroom, to the flash and fame represented in the front row at each and every show, to the widespread fashion savvy and almost reverence to trends galore and the utterly unpredictable and iconographic, Luxury Week Hong Kong was as a fashion week should be:
an entertaining, escapist venture filled with glorious clothes and oodles of personality, set in a twinkling, promising city wonderland.

See you next year.

Anita Kapoor,
Your MasterCard Fashion Insider Journalist

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