CENTRESTAGE, an exhibition that disseminates Asian fashion trends, held the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers Contest (YDC), known as a stepping stone for young Hong Kong designers, on its final day, September 7th, bringing the event to a close.


YDC is an organization whose aim is to nurture and promote the talents of young designers in order to further increase international recognition of Hong Kong fashion. This year, 16 young Hong Kong designers entered the event and showcased their collections. The judges included Lawrence Leung, Chairman of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee; Michael Mock, General Manager/Head of Merchandising at Hong Kong select shop JOYCE; Jonathan Lee, Senior Area Manager (Asia) at Tomorrow Ltd; Peter Wong, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Hong Kong; Declan Chan, Stylist and Art Director; Virginia Chan, Head of Footwear at i.t Apparel Limited; and Yasuhiro Mihara, designer of MIHARAYASUHIRO, as the VIP judge. After a rigorous selection process, three Hong Kong designers were selected. The winner was Wilson Yip.
Wilson Yip won prize money and the opportunity to spend a month internship at MIHARA YASUHIRO's studio.




"Wilson Yip"

Next in line was Louis Chow, and third place went to Enzo Chan, who also won the Newcomer Award.


"Louis Chow"


"Enzo Chan"

After serving as a special judge for YDC, Mihara commented on the winner, Wilson Yip, "He was the best. "The concept of 'Still' (meaning 'forgetful') is very charming. There was a sense of humor in the way that creations were born from a pathetic person. It was fun to watch," he commented. He also offered some advice to up-and-coming young designers, saying, "It's very difficult to simply do what you love. Fashion can also be cruel, and once people get bored of it or the trend fades, you can get stuck moving forward even if you try. It's not easy to continue for a long time. What's really important is how much you create something that captivates people." The moment Mihara was introduced as a special judge, cheers erupted from the audience. It was clear that there was a great deal of interest in "Mihara Yasuhiro," who is attracting attention from around the world.


>>A gathering of Asia's cutting-edge designers! A report from Hong Kong's fashion event "Center Stage 2019"