The Hub, a young fashion trade show that continues to gain momentum, celebrated their third season in a sparkling new venue. For their latest event, the organizers selected a more intimate space and packed it with brands looking for wider distribution.
The Hub has positioned themselves as a place where multi-brand stores throughout the region can come to discover diverse labels without having to fly to Europe or the U.S.. They cater to the thousands of boutiques spread out around Asia seeking talented designers to stock in their stores.
The Hub provides a way for these buyers and sellers to find each other – all under one roof, without having to go beyond the Asia-Pacific region.
The venue this time around was a multi-level space called D2 Place, located in the Lai Chi Kok area of Kowloon. D2 boasts a large floor plan and is located directly outside of the MTR station, making it extremely convenient.
While the previous venue, Asia World Expo, had its positives, the cavernous space made it difficult to build an indie vibe, and the faraway location made attending meet-ups and events in the city inconvenient.
The Hub features everything from traditional brands with over a hundred years of history, to newcomers just making their initial debut. This year the tradeshow was divided into different segments and spread out over four floors.
The Hub took place over two days and included a number of parties in addition to the show itself. Guests from around the world were placed in an environment where they could meet, do business, network, and exchange tips.
Continuing from previous seasons, there were talks aimed at spreading knowledge by top industry professionals.
The tenth-floor Green House space that featured young brands was unique. The showrooms had lots of natural light making it much warmer than your typical trade show.
Dividing the market into different floors made it much more digestible, rather than being situated in a seemingly never-ending convention hall space.
In addition to the booths, there were places to sit and chit chat, as well as an open area where the industry discussions were held.
The attending brands showcased an assortment of items including streetwear, womenswear, menswear, footwear and accessories.
Multiple brands featured designs that were digitally printed.
Local Hong Kong designers also had a presence at The Hub. The collection by Kenax Leung had interesting graffiti-inspired graphics.
Foreign brands, such as Blomor from Italy featured colorful illustrations as well.
This year The Hub also boasted a greater collaboration with China’s fashion industry, including official trade organizations as well as indie designers.
For more information, go directly to The Hub’s site, or have a look at the evolution of the show by reading our previous post covering the first season.
Congratulations to organizers Peter Caplowe and Richard Hobbs on another successful season!
