CENTRESTAGE 2026 Sets Records with 12,000+ Buyers, Global Fashion Showcase

Hong Kong's premier fashion event, CENTRESTAGE, concluded its 11th edition with record-breaking attendance, drawing over 12,000 trade buyers from 93 countries and regions. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), the four-day fair also saw over 20,000 public visitors when combined with the concurrent Salon de Time event, underscoring Hong Kong's status as Asia's fashion hub. The event featured 270 brands from 24 countries, a new high, with notable growth in buyers from Vietnam, Russia, the US, and Malaysia. Smilely Lam, Associate Executive Director of HKTDC, emphasized the fair's role in helping brands expand internationally, citing first-time participants like DOUCAN and holynumber7 from Korea, Woody from Austria, and VICETA WANG from Australia, as well as attendance from top-tier retailers such as Dover Street Market London, Selfridges, 10 Corso Como, and Musinsa.

The fair highlighted optimism in the industry, with 96% of surveyed exhibitors and buyers expecting steady or growing sales in the next 12-24 months. Streetwear and cross-sector collaboration were key trends, with 73% agreeing that brand crossovers and IP partnerships will become more prevalent. New initiatives included the Hype² pavilion, spotlighting labels from celebrities and KOLs like Rosita Kwok's Claro, and cross-sector collections such as Janko Lam's 'Classics Anew' with ink artist Kan Tai-keung. The fair also served as a platform for international pavilions, with Korea debuting as 'Featured Partner' and Austria, Colombia, the Faroe Islands, Malaysia, Slovakia, and the UAE participating for the first time. Notable buyer interest came from Selfridges' menswear buyer Sophie Rose Davis-Evans, who negotiated wholesale partnerships with Hong Kong labels peces and MURFI LAU, and Indonesia's Galeries Lafayette, interested in VICETA WANG and WANZZZ.

The event featured over 40 activities, including a record-breaking 30+ fashion shows. Highlights included the CENTRESTAGE ELITES opening show by KIT WAN STUDIOS and the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show themed 'Hong Kong Dopamine', featuring local labels 112 mountainyam, ANGUS TSUI, ARTY:ACTIVE, and Z I D I. The fair also hosted the 16th Redress Design Award, with Germany's Jon Liesenfeld winning First Prize. The success of CENTRESTAGE demonstrates the resilience and global appeal of Hong Kong's fashion scene, reinforcing its position as a superconnector between East and West. For more details, visit the official CENTRESTAGE page.