Riots of colors & extreme feminity
THE fashion shows featuring designers from the Asia-Pacific region were the highlight of the week, drawing large crowds eager to check out the latest in Pan-Asian style.
The most interesting innovations in the four-day Hong Kong Fashion Week (July 8-July 11), a leading international fashion trade fair in Asia which has been held annually for nine years, came from the established designers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.
And this time, the runway trend was about riots of colors and extreme feminity.

Gold -- personal style
Designer -- Walter Ma, Hong Kong
In reality, not all women are blessed with physical perfection, but Ma believes that there is a world of choice out there, with myriad designs to suit every taste and style of dress from casual to the most sophisticated. As far as gold is concerned, Ma's opinion is firm: As gold strikes such a bold and glamorous note, it is really in its simply designed clothes which allow one's personality to shine through and make an impression.

Pink -- pure feminity
Designer -- Dorian Ho, Hong Kong
Ho's Dorian Ho is pure femininity with off-the-shoulder draping tops, asymmetrical silhouettes and floral-printed or floral-embellished chiffons. Dazzlers are pretty pink and lilac dresses, some done in tulle, big flower accents and clusters of rhinestones.

Quality with comfort
Designer -- Ika, Hong Kong
Indonesia-born Ika is best noted for her elegance, beaded and hand-embroidered creations, combining high quality with comfort. Inspired by Indonesian art, Ika's day and evening wear for women features distinctive intricate patterns on structurally simple designs. Her stylish but easy-to-wear designs appeal particularly to the elegant, career-minded and active women of today.

Delicacy
Designer -- Virginia Lau, Hong Kong
Specializing in wedding and evening gowns, Virginia Lau is well-known for her feminine design style and intricate hand-embroidery technique that give every piece of her work a unique touch. The fluid lines, shapely silhouette, decorative details, and use of luxurious fabrics all combine to make every gown the designer creates a piece of art.
With the instinct and knowledge in perfecting the female contour with well-tailored garments, as well as her strength in labour-intensive embroideries, Virginia is poised to win every heart of the fashion conscious who truly appreciate ingenious design and quality workmanship.

Cheongsum for all
Designer -- Lin Sin Ping, Taiwan
Bulging in all the wrong places and can't squeeze anymore into those figure-hugging Chinese cheongsums? Well, fret no more. Taiwanese designer Lin Sin Ping has come up with the perfect cheongsum for women who love the traditional Asian fashion but have more ample figures than they would like.
"It is now a fashion statement but unfortunately, the traditional sizes can only be worn by women who are extremely shapely," Lin said. "...my cheongsums are made for all women, mothers, even those with large waistlines."
Using metallic silk material, Lin's cheongsums accommodate larger waists and upper arms and come in versions with embroidered overalls and accompanying pants.

Bright look
Designer -- Annie Kim, South Korea
While summer camisoles, short pants and elaborate gowns dominate most of the shows, an eye-catching collection of shockingly bright clothes by South Korean designer Annie Kim draws visitor's attention. Her overalls, hot pants, and denim skirts are all splashed with brightly painted faces and patterns.

Quotes
To my mind, small is beautiful. I like women who are mild-mannered with an easy-going character, fair skin and a well-proportioned figure. Self-confidence is an important attribute too.
--Walter Ma
Fashion is always recognizably mine but, without having to stick to one identity, I can experiment with different styles.
--Ika