HONG KONG — WWD and its sister publication Sourcing Journal hosted the inaugural WWD x SJ Global Fashion and Business Conference at the Regent Hong Kong last month.
The event, which featured leading figures in the global fashion industry like Kim Jones, Fausto Puglisi, Jason Wu and Robert Wun, was presented by parent company Fairchild Media Group in partnership with the Hong Kong Fashion Council and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency.
The conference coincided with a high point in the city’s fashion scene, as it was also welcomed the Hong Kong Fashion Fest, presented by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Raistlin Lau
WWD
Inaugurating the half-day conference, Raistlin Lau, guest of honor and under secretary for culture, sports and tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, offered his greetings to the speakers and guests.
“The fashion industry is one of the most dynamic industries, facing challenges but also offering abundant opportunities. With the theme ‘global creativity and the fashion imagination,’ this conference gathers visionary minds to dive into inspiring topics at the forefront of fashion, such as cross-cultural creativity, innovation through heritage, storytelling in fashion, and global sourcing. These are all up-to-the-minute, important, and practical topics on the global fashion agenda,” said Lau.
“At the same time, the conference convenes fashion leaders from the East and the West for insightful dialogue on the industry’s future. It reflects Hong Kong’s unique position as a gateway between the Chinese mainland, Asia, and the world, where cultures and creativity converge,” he continued.
Bosco Law
Bosco Law, deputy chairman and chief executive officer of Lawsgroup and representative of the Hong Kong Fashion Council, also highlighted Hong Kong’s ambition to lead as Asia’s international fashion hub, leveraging its East-meets-West position to drive creativity, innovation, collaboration and sustainability across the full value chain.
“Today’s agenda brings that vision to life. We explore global creativity and the fashion imagination, looking at where design inspiration comes from and how it shapes the culture. We examine storytelling as a business tool that builds communities and brands across borders,” he said.
“We will consider heritage as a springboard for the future. We will get practical on tariffs, transshipments, and rules of origin amid uncertainty and on Hong Kong’s pivotal role in sourcing and logistics. And finally, we will dive into the material revolution transforming our industry, bridging cutting-edge innovation with large-scale adaptation,” added Law.
Following Lau and Law, Amanda Smith, CEO of Fairchild Media Group, said the gathering underscored the importance of the market as the ultimate intersection of global design, culture, business and trade.
“Our conversations today show how Asian and Western aesthetics interact, and how Hong Kong’s unique position is at the crossroads of style, and it informs global creativity, and also how inspiration drives real business growth,” she said.
Amanda Smith
“I am so proud of the work that WWD and Sourcing Journal do every single day to bring these types of crucial conversations to life and to the international market, and it is our trusted and trustworthy authority and our commitment to the Fairchild brands that support the growth of the businesses and the entire global industry,” she added.
