‘The Love of Couture’ exhibition opens with K11 Night gala

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Dec 7, 2022

Entrepreneur Adrian Cheng‘s sophomore couture exhibition kicked off on Saturday with the invitation-only K11 Night 2022 opening gala at Victoria Dockside, in Hong Kong. 

Dubbed 'The Love of Couture: Artisanship in Fashion Beyond Time', the exhibition sets out to bridge western European traditions with eastern innovation, paying homage to the creativity, rich history, refined craftsmanship and boundless possibilities of couture. 

To get there, it was masterminded by internationally renowned and award-winning Hong Kong production designer William Chang Suk Ping and experts from the V&A. Chang is an Oscar nominee who has applied his visual genius to areas ranging from visual and costume design to film editing and production. The creative infused this project with his poetic and romantic style. All furnishings were specially produced for this exhibition, and have been designed by Chang from scratch.

As part of the exhibition, a thoughtfully curated collection of historical British and French womenswear from the V&A will be displayed including twelve pieces, shown in Hong Kong for the first time. 

Next, six emerging fashion designers were tasked to draw inspiration from these exhibits, dissect and re-contextualise their structure, fabric, function, and craft original bespoke couture works that stir nostalgia while exuding a contemporary, innovative and distinctively East Asian sensibility.

“Fashion throughout history is reflective of how traditions, craftsmanship, creativity and societies continue to evolve”, said Cheng.

“I am thrilled to present this exhibition in collaboration with the V&A and work with our brilliant designers who have all in their own individual way, reinvented and modernized history with their unique perspective and talent. This collaboration truly reflects my mission to create a deeper cultural exchange between east and west by providing a platform for next generation talent.”