The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2026 (YDC) concluded in spectacular fashion on 5 September as part of CENTRESTAGE, Asia’s premier annual fashion event and a flagship of the third Hong Kong Fashion Fest. Ten up-and-coming local designers presented collections that drew from personal experiences and inner emotions, telling unique stories through distinctive tailoring and materials. The designs echoed this year’s promotional theme, “YOU.”, and were showcased in a high-standard runway show attended by celebrities and artists including Will Or, elka@Lolly Talk, Kaki Sham, Crystal Cheung, Ah Mui, Rachel Leung, Yatho Wong, Dylan So, Karl Ting, William Chang and Irving Cheung.
After careful deliberation, a panel of professional judges selected the winners. Tsui Ao Lung emerged as Champion with his collection “The Tide,” which takes inspiration from a classic Cantopop hit, depicting the ebbs, flows and turbulence of human existence through the four stages of a woman’s life. Tsui, who received a cash prize of HK$60,000 and an overseas internship sponsored by Fang Brothers Knitting Ltd., reflected on his win: “My immediate feeling upon winning is sheer exhaustion, as this collection required extensive handcrafting. I deliberately chose artisanal materials that are a stark departure from mainstream fabrics. I believe this award will bring more visibility, but more importantly, participating in YDC has helped me truly discover my future direction and the design aesthetic I am committed to pursuing.”
Cheang King Tung, Kenneth received the Excellence Award and the Best Art Direction Award for his collection “NOSTALGIA,” inspired by the 1983 film Nostalghia and his memories of Hong Kong. The collection translates the city’s humid air, harbours, fishing villages and industrial landscapes into hand-dyed and sewn garments that show the traces of time. Cheang said, “Participating in this year's YDC has been incredibly rewarding. I am very happy that my non-mainstream work has gained mainstream recognition on the YDC platform, which further affirms my future creative direction.” He received a cash prize of HK$40,000 and an overseas study trip sponsored by MINI HK, as well as a cash prize of HK$10,000 and a five-day course at VOGUE College of Fashion in London.
The “My Favourite Collection” Award, decided by public voting, went to Lam Chun Ni, Jenny for her collection “The Old Si-Fut and New Chai,” which explores Hong Kong’s workplace culture and the dynamics between veterans and rookies. Lam translates common workplace dictums into design elements, capturing the tension between following rules and rebelling. She received a HK$30,000 Lee Gardens Area e-Gift Certificate sponsored by Hysan. Lam expressed her gratitude: “Joining YDC has given me many opportunities for growth and exposure, and I am very glad that my work can be seen by more people. Thank you all for supporting this theme.”
The judging panel was chaired by Katherine Fang, Chairlady of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee, with Rok Hwang, founder and Creative Director of ROKH, serving as VIP Judge. Hwang praised the contestants: “YDC is an outstanding stage for young fashion designers. The show was energetic and inspiring, showcasing a brilliant mixture of Hong Kong culture and creative energy.” The finalists received mentorship from Alex Po and Derek Cheng, founders of PONDER.ER.
This year marked the tenth consecutive year MINI HK has been lead sponsor of YDC. To celebrate, nine YDC alumni created exclusive car-wrap designs for MINI’s electric vehicles, and the tenth was created by the winner of the MINI-sponsored award. The collaboration underscores YDC’s theme “YOU.” and MINI’s “Express Yourself” philosophy, encouraging individuality.
The event also featured FASHIONALLY COLLECTIONS #26, dedicated to promoting young Hong Kong designers, showcasing works by MARCCH, MURFI LAU, and OUS, along with presentations by phenotypsetter, Oplus2, and Szmannie. For more photos from the grand finale, visit: https://bit.ly/466pyDc.
