Hong Kong Asserts Itself as a Powerhouse Denim Player
If you’re looking for denim inspiration, Hong Kong is a place to find it too.
Specifically, you’ll find it at the bustling street fair that is the Hong Kong Denim Festival.
Attendees from all walks of the blueblood life descended on the fair to peruse the latest in denim, witness denim as art, learn techniques for dyeing and get inspired all over again about the beloved fabric.
Carved in Blue caught up with event sponsor Advance Denim’s Mark Ix, to get a taste for what the festival was like.
Carved in Blue: Can you tell us a little about the Hong Kong Denim Festival?
Mark: The Hong Kong Denim Festival is a three-week event that’s major focus is to promote Hong Kong as the denim design center of Asia. It does this through a dynamic series of activities including denim bazaar, live music, a historical denim design exhibition, design workshops, and seminars that include speakers from Levi Strauss & Co., G-Star Raw, Cotton USA, Garmon and Chenwen Studio.
The best part of the show was that there was an impressive group craftsmen, artists and designers that participated. The show was free and open to the public, so they could have access to all the denim history and creativity. There was a mix of people who just walked in off the street and denim enthusiasts that traveled specifically to attend the festival. The event was constantly crowded from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday and the public response was overwhelmingly positive. It really was a huge success. I have been involved in many such events globally and the Hong Kong Denim Festival far exceeded my expectations.
Carved in Blue: Who was involved in the event?
Mark: The organizer of the event was The Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) along with CreateHK, the agency set up under the commerce and economic development bureau to lead , champion and drive the development of the creative economy in Hong Kong. Advance Denim was a strategic partner of the event along with Crystal apparel and H.W. Textiles as sponsors. Hong Kong Denim festival was also sponsored by Chenwen Studio, Cotton USA, Garmon, G-Star Raw and Levi’s.
Carved in Blue: Why do you think the Hong Kong Denim Festival was important?
Mark: Hong Kong is ready to take its place as nurturing ground for denim design visionaries. This is the first step in supporting this evolution that has been taking place. It is important to have an event that both celebrates and promotes Hong Kong Denim culture in an inclusive, open street festival.
Carved in Blue: What was Advance Denim’s role in all of it?
Mark: Advance Denim, as well as other sponsors, have a deep respect for the world class design talent in Hong Kong. Advance would like to help promote and grow this expertise and creativity. It would like to be instrumental in nurturing and promoting this design talent.
Carved in Blue: What is most impressive about the Hong Kong denim market?
Mark: The HK denim market is vibrant and exciting. It is at the crossroads of the global denim market and it embraces denim trends from Europe, Asia and North America. It truly is a global denim melting pot. The Hong Kong Denim festival incorporated artists and denim designers not only from Hong Kong but also Istanbul and Brooklyn. It was a global festival that celebrated Hong Kong.
Carved in Blue: What are the future plans for the festival?
Mark: The Festival exceeded all expectations and we are already planning for an enhanced show for next year. Stay tuned!