Can Hong Kong realise its ambition as a premier fashion hub in Asia? The answer may have lain in this year’s Hong Kong Fashion Fest.The annual festival’s third edition – organised by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency under Hong Kong’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau – runs from September 1 to 14, featuring independent designers, international labels, retailers, manufacturers and sustainability advocates.Centrestage, one of Asia’s premier annual fashion showcases and trade platforms, was a highlight of the festival, bringing together some 270 brands from 24 countries and regions at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Wan Chai, from September 2 to 5.It featured Hong Kong fashion label Zidi and designers Mountain Yam, Angus Tsui and Kit Wan.“Hong Kong is a mix of East and West,” says Yam, who has independently operated his label for 12 years and showed on the Hong Kong Dopamine catwalk at Centrestage. “We have international exposure, but we also understand the Chinese market. I feel hopeful, especially with brands helping each other to get more awareness to the mass audience.”Looks by Hong Kong designer Mountain Yam’s 112 mountainyam label on show at Centrestage, a highlight of Hong Kong Fashion Fest 2026. Photo: Hong Kong Fashion FestOutfits designed by Kit Wan (left) and Zidi at Centrestage. Photo: Hong Kong Fashion FestElsewhere, Virtuose: The Artistry of Couture, held at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on September 1, showcased Hong Kong couture labels Vivian Luk Atelier and Tigerstrolling alongside Spain’s Guillermo Decimo and Vietnam’s Phan Huy in an evening of glamour attended by influencers and fashionistas from around the world.