THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (HKTDC) AND CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CCIDA) OF THE HKSAR GOVERNMENT ARE SOME OF THE BUSIEST BODIES IN ASIA, TIRELESSLY BUILDING THE BRIDGE THAT UNITES EAST AND WEST, BRICK BY BRICK.
I WAS INVITED TO ATTEND THE CITY’S FASHION FEST, BUT WAS EQUALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE FIRST OUTPOST OF PARIS’S MAISON & OBJET, THE CURATED INTERIORS FAIR THAT I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING TWICE A YEAR FOR NEARLY A DECADE.
IN HONG KONG THERE WAS A CONVERGENCE OF DESIGN HAPPENINGS, WITH SEVERAL FESTIVALS, SHOWS, TRADE FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS. THE RECENT FIRES CAST A SHADOW OVER MUCH OF THE EVENTS, A TRAGEDY FOR THE CITY AND CHINA AT LARGE, AND IT MEANS THAT OUT OF RESPECT THE GOVERNMENT PULLED OUT OF SOME EVENTS, AT LEAST BY ASSOCIATION.
BUT OF COURSE HOWEVER TRAGIC, THE MANY MONTHS OF ORGANISING, THE INTERNATIONAL SCOPE OF THE EVENTS, THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGING DESIGNERS IN ALL SECTORS MUST ALSO BE CONSIDERED. I WAS HAPPY TO SEE M&O WENT AHEAD AS PLANNED, AS DID SEVERAL FASHION FEST EVENTS.
WHEN YOU VISIT HONG KONG, THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF SHOPPING AND CONSUMERISM. THE CITY HAS SOME OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND DIVERSE RETAIL THAT ATTRACTS MILLIONS OF SHOPPERS A YEAR. NEW MALLS LIKE THE K11 MUSEA ARE A TESTAMENT TO THE HIGH STANDARDS IN DESIGN THE CITY IS EMBARKING ON. THE CITY SCAPE IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL IN ALL THE WORLD. BUT FOR ALL THE SHOPPING — THE LUXURY BRANDS, THE FASHION, THE PLETHORA OF BOUTIQUES AND STORES — HOMEWARE AND DESIGN OFFERINGS TEND TO LAG.
RARELY IS THERE A GALLERY, A FURNITURE STORE OR LIFESTYLE OUTLET IN A MALL. SURE, THERE’S THE PERENNIAL MUJI, WHICH OFFERS PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS IN LIVING AND HAS THE JAPANESE ATTENTION TO DETAILS, BUT IT STANDS ALONE.
OF COURSE HONG KONGERS TEND TO LIVE IN SMALLER APARTMENTS AND THERE IS LESS NEED FOR BULKY ITEMS, LIKE SPRAWLING SOFAS AND DINING TABLES, BUT STILL, EVERYONE NEEDS A PLACE TO EAT, SLEEP, SIT AND REST.
GALLERIES LIKE AXEL VERVOORDT ARE A LITTLE OUT OF THE WAY FROM CENTRAL HONG KONG AND GENERALLY HONG KONG’S MALLS ARE DESIGNED AROUND HIGH-TURNOVER, HIGH-MARGIN RETAIL—MOSTLY FASHION, BEAUTY, JEWELLERY AND F&B—SO CATEGORIES LIKE HOMEWARE, FURNITURE AND VINTAGE RARELY FIT THE MODEL. THOSE SECTORS DO EXIST IN HONG KONG, BUT THEY THRIVE OUTSIDE MALLS, FOR VERY PRACTICAL REASONS. WONG CHUK HANG (SOUTHSIDE) FEATURES CONVERTED INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WITH LARGE FLOOR PLANS THAT HOUSE CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE STUDIOS, VINTAGE DESIGN GALLERIES AND ART–FURNITURE HYBRIDS. AT PMQ YOU’LL FIND CRAFT-DRIVEN HOMEWARE, DESIGN-LED LIFESTYLE BRANDS AND A SMATTERING OF LOCAL FURNITURE DESIGNERS. AP LEI CHAU IS ONE OF HK’S BEST PLACES FOR HIGH-END EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN FURNITURE STORES, LUXURY VINTAGE FURNITURE AND DESIGN IMPORTERS AND CONSIGNMENT SHOPS. HERE YOU’LL FIND LARGE, WAREHOUSE-STYLE UNITS THAT ARE EASIER TO MANAGE THAN GLASS-HEAVY MALL RETAIL SPACES.
AND ALL THAT CAME TOGETHER AT HK M&O DEBUT. HERE I DISCOVERED BRANDS LIKE ATELIER SUMBIOSIS AND YARDCOM, WHO MAKE COOL OUTDOOR LIGHTING AND LIFESTYLE FURNITURE. AT THE DEATH OF BAMBOO PAVILION, THAI ARTIST KORAKAT AROMDEE BUILT AN INCREDIBLE BAMBOO STRUCTURE THAT WAS AT THE SAME TIME THE ESSENCE OF LIGHTNESS, BALANCE AND QUIET STRENGTH, HELD ONLY BY KNOTS.
ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SPACES (AND CHAIRS) WAS BY KAZAKHSTAN DESIGNER DANIYAR UDEBEKOV IN A COLLABORATION WITH BELGIUM-BASED ATELIER LIONEL JADOT. SOMETIMES AT M&O PARIS COOL COLLABS GET MISSED, DUE TO THEIR SHEER SIZE AND VOLUME OF THE EXHIBITION. IN HONG KONG IT WAS NOT ONLY MANAGEABLE BUT THERE WAS TIME TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE POETRY OF DESIGN.
OF COURSE, FOR ALL THE GOODWILL, FOR ALL THE BRIDGE BUILDING AND FOR ALL THE ORGANISING TO MAKE HONG KONG THE DESIGN HUB OF THE EAST, THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR A RETURN. THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE CLOSELY WATCHING THE DATA, THE VISITOR NUMBERS AND ULTIMATELY THE SALES AND BUSINESS THAT IS GENERATED OUT OF THESE EVENTS. THAT WILL TAKE TIME. BUT CEMENTING HK ON THE DESIGN MAP IS ALREADY A GIVEN.