YDC 2026 unveils its winners in spectacular fashion

– Ten rising design talents showcase their charisma through striking collections

7 September 2026, Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), CENTRESTAGE, Asia’s annual premier fashion event and a flagship event of the third Hong Kong Fashion Fest concluded successfully on 5 September. The highlight of the closing evening was the grand finale of the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2026 (YDC), where 10 up-and-coming local fashion designers unleashed their potential. Drawing from personal experiences and inner emotions, their collections told unique stories through distinctive tailoring and materials. Featuring a diverse range of vivid styles, the designs perfectly echoed this year’s YDC promotional theme, “YOU.” and featured a high-standard runway show for the audience. The evening welcomed a legion of 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 adding glamour and excitement to the competition as they showed their support and cheered on the participating designers.

After careful deliberation, a panel of professional judges selected four major award winners from the 10 finalists’ collections. Tsui Ao Lung emerged as Champion with his outstanding design and received a cash prize of HK$60,000 and an overseas internship sponsored by Fang Brothers Knitting Ltd. Cheang King Tung, Kenneth received the Excellence Award and Best Art Direction Award, securing a cash prize of HK$40,000, an overseas study trip sponsored by MINI HK for the former, and collecting a cash prize of HK$10,000, a five-day course at VOGUE College of Fashion in London and an overseas study trip sponsored by VOGUE Hong Kong, with a total value of HK$30,000, for the latter. The “My Favourite Collection” Award, decided by public voting, went to Lam Chun Ni, Jenny, who was awarded a HK$30,000 Lee Gardens Area e-Gift Certificate sponsored by Hysan.

The full list of winners from YDC 2026 is as follows:
Champion: Tsui Ao Lung; Design: ”The Tide
Excellence Award: Cheang King Tung, Kenneth; Design: ”NOSTALGIA”
Best Art Direction Award: Cheang King Tung, Kenneth; Design: ”NOSTALGIA”
My Favourite Collection Award: Lam Chun Ni, Jenny; Design: ”The Old Si-Fut and New Chai”

Tsui Ao Lung, winner of the Champion title, presented a collection titled “The Tide”, which takes inspiration from a classic Cantopop hit Kuang Chao. Through the four stages of a woman’s life, the collection depicts the ebbs, flows and turbulence of human existence driven by emotion and destiny. Reflecting on the demanding creative process, Mr Tsui shared: “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.”

Excellence Award and Best Art Direction winner Cheang King Tung, Kenneth presented the collection “NOSTALGIA”. Drawing inspiration from the 1983 film Nostalghia, the work explores the concepts of homeland, distance and yearning, translating his memories of Hong Kong into the language of clothing. The collection draws inspiration from Hong Kong’s humid air, harbours, fishing villages, typhoon shelters and industrial landscapes. Through hand-dyeing, sewing, and experimental material treatments, it showcases the traces left behind by the passage of time. Each piece is like a poem written to Hong Kong, documenting memories, emotions, and the connection between people and the city. Sharing his thoughts after the win, Mr 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. I believe the winning edge of my work lies in presenting a relatively complete worldview, and my method of expression was also more dramatic.”

The My Favourite Collection Award was decided by public voting and the winner was Lam Chun Ni, Jenny for the collection “The Old Si-Fut and New Chai”. The work is set against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s workplace culture, exploring the dynamic between the veteran “old-timers” (si-futs) and the “rookies” (new chais). She translates common workplace dictums—such as “be humble”, “talk less” and “endure hardship before you succeed”—into design elements. Through variations in garment structure, proportions, and details, she captures a state of mind caught between wanting to follow the rules and the urge to rebel, as well as the growth process from imitation and integration to a re-evaluation of young people.

Sharing her thoughts after the win, Ms Lam said: “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. Perhaps the ‘old-timer’ workplace phenomenon resonates deeply with everyone, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who voted for me. Winning this award is all thanks to the immense support my friends and family have continuously given me.”

Internationally renowned judging panel praises show for perfect fusion of Hong Kong culture and creativity
This year’s YDC featured a distinguished judging panel comprising seasoned professionals from the fashion industry and media. The panel was chaired by Katherine Fang, Chairlady of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee, who served as Chief Judge. The VIP Judge role was taken up by Rok Hwang, founder and Creative Director of ROKH. Overseas Judge Olya Kuryshchuk, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of 1 Granary, was unable to attend the event in person buy she reviewed the shortlisted entries and provided her expert feedback ahead of the judging process. Other esteemed judges included Tracey Cheng, Vice President of Merchandising Planning and Business Development at I.T; Jonathan Lee, Co-founder of The Molecule; Cherry Mui, Editorial Director of Vogue Hong Kong; and Kieran Ho, Senior Vice President of Hong Kong at PURPLE.

VIP Judge Rok Hwang expressed his appreciation for the young contestants and their energy. “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 winning collection truly stood out in terms of emotion and color, paired with a dramatic entrance. Once again I want to congratulate all the winners and send my best wishes to them.”

Mentoring the YDC contestants this year were Alex Po and Derek Cheng, founders of PONDER.ER. Drawing on their extensive industry experience, the duo provided valuable guidance to the 10 finalists throughout the competition.

MINI HK has been the lead sponsor of the YDC for ten consecutive years. To celebrate this milestone, nine YDC alumni winners was invited to create a series of Iconic 3-Door All Electric MINI Cooper and the Stylish yet playful All Electric MINI Aceman 5-door car-wrap graphics, forming a one-of-a-kind limited-edition collection. The tenth design was created by the winner of the MINI-sponsored award at YDC 2026, bringing together YDC 2026’s theme, “YOU.”, and MINI HK’s “Express Yourself” philosophy. The collaboration encourages every driver to express their individuality in their own way.

Beyond the exclusive car-wrap designs, MINI Hong Kong also presented a special stage programme at the Grand Final, featuring local actors alongside real MINI owners to share the stories behind their journeys with MINI. The performance brought together 16 local actors, members of the public and also MINI loyalists, including Kaki Sham, Crystal Cheung, Ah Mui, Rachel Leung, Yatho Wong, Dylan So, Amy Echulace, Ocean On, Ray So, Saito Chong, Cheuk laam, and DongDong, creating a heartfelt and inspiring experience on the YDC stage.

For more photos from the grand finale, please visit: https://bit.ly/466pyDc

FASHIONALLY COLLECTIONS #26
FASHIONALLY.COM, dedicated to promoting young Hong Kong designers, also hosted several presentations. FASHIONALLY COLLECTION #26 showcased the latest works of MARCCH, MURFI LAU, and OUS; while phenotypsetter, Oplus2, and Szmannie launched their new collections via FASHIONALLY Presentation.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/4xG73RY

Websites

• CENTRESTAGE: www.centrestage.com.hk
• Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC): www.fashionally.com/en/YDC
• Background information, collection details and photos of the 10 YDC finalists are available for download at this link: here

Media enquiries
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HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

HKTDC Newsroom: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on @hktdc and LinkedIn

About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)
The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) since 2009, was established in June 2024.  CCIDA is  a dedicated office under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative sectors with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate development of the arts, culture and creative sectors as industries.  CCIDA’s strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary collaboration, promoting industrialisation of the arts, culture and creative sectors under the industry-oriented principle, and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community, thereby reinforcing Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and our positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

About Hong Kong Fashion Fest
Announced by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive in the 2023 Policy Address, “Hong Kong Fashion Fest” will be organised to develop Hong Kong into a fashion design hub in Asia. Through consolidating various fashion design events and introducing innovative elements and affiliate activities annually, the Hong Kong Fashion Fest promotes Hong Kong’s fashion and textile design brands and boosts Hong Kong’s position as a prime destination for hosting mega cultural and creative events. Under the theme “Rhythm of the Heart”, the third edition of Hong Kong Fashion Fest will be held from 1 to 14 September 2026 at various landmarks in Hong Kong. The event will bring together eight flagship programmes organised by six industry organisations and, for the first time, will be combined with CENTRESTAGE – the annual fashion extravaganza organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council – to generate stronger synergies. The event will attract fashion design industry players from all over the world to come to Hong Kong; foster collaboration, innovation and business opportunities; establish platform for local and international fashion designers and brands and connect with different sectors in the fashion design industry of Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s position as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.