CENTRESTAGE 2026 concluded in Hong Kong with a record attendance of more than 12,000 trade buyers from 93 countries and regions, strengthening the event’s position as an international platform for discovering emerging Asian fashion brands.
The four-day exhibition, held from September 2–5 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, presented approximately 270 brands from 24 countries and regions—the largest brand participation in the event’s 11-year history. Buyer numbers from Vietnam, Russia, the United States and Malaysia recorded particularly notable growth, according to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
The results build on the international participation, new sourcing zones and runway programme outlined in ChinaExpoHub’s CENTRESTAGE 2026 opening report.
International Buyers Seek Emerging Fashion Brands
CENTRESTAGE attracted purchasing representatives from major international retailers, department stores and fashion platforms, including Selfridges, Dover Street Market London, 10 Corso Como and South Korea’s Musinsa.
A Selfridges buyer met more than 10 emerging brands during the fair and entered wholesale discussions with two Hong Kong labels, peces and MURFI LAU. Representatives of Indonesia’s Galeries Lafayette, Sogo and Seibu also identified Australian and mainland Chinese brands for possible introduction to their retail networks.
Chinese retailer Triple Major placed three orders during the exhibition and used the event to identify both finished collections and premium textile suppliers.
These examples show the fair’s role extending beyond runway presentations and brand exposure. For participating designers, CENTRESTAGE provided access to buyers responsible for wholesale purchasing, department-store selection, specialty retail, pop-up concepts and regional distribution.
Visitors can learn more about the event’s international brand platform through the official CENTRESTAGE website.
Korean and International Pavilions Generate New Business
Korea participated as CENTRESTAGE’s Featured Partner for the first time. Its presence included 12 Seoul designer brands presented by KOTRA, HISEOUL SHOWROOM and the Korean Consulate General in Hong Kong, alongside another 10 labels from the Gyeonggi Fashion Creative Studio.
The Korean pavilion attracted more than 400 visits on its opening day. Some participating brands reached agreements with Hong Kong buyers to begin offline retail operations at a major shopping centre in Kai Tak.
Korean label Asparagus reported buyer interest from mainland China, Southeast Asia and Australia, with initial orders expected to reach approximately US$6,000–US$7,000. Other Korean exhibitors connected with department stores, chain retailers and specialty buyers from France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia and Thailand.
The Australian delegation originally scheduled approximately 120 buyer meetings, but demand increased the final number to 180 meetings. Participating brands entered discussions involving pop-up stores, permanent retail locations and distribution partnerships in Hong Kong, Korea and Japan.
Austria, Colombia, the Faroe Islands, Malaysia, Slovakia and the United Arab Emirates made their CENTRESTAGE debuts this year, expanding the event’s sourcing coverage beyond its established Asian markets.
Streetwear, IP Partnerships and Fragrance Gain Momentum
An on-site HKTDC survey of more than 350 exhibitors and buyers found that 96% expected overall sales to remain stable or increase during the following 12 to 24 months.
Fashion design was identified as the most promising product category by 58% of respondents. Meanwhile, 73% agreed or strongly agreed that brand crossovers and intellectual-property partnerships would become more prevalent over the coming year.
The findings were reflected on the exhibition floor. The new Hype² pavilion featured fashion businesses led by Hong Kong celebrities and online personalities, with around 30 debut and limited-edition products launched during the fair.
A new Perfume zone brought together over 20 international fragrance brands making their Hong Kong debut. One participating organization projected approximately HK$100,000 in on-site retail sales and expressed interest in developing the zone into a larger fragrance-focused event.
The growing presence of streetwear, fragrance, art collaborations and lifestyle products suggests that fashion trade events are increasingly serving buyers whose merchandise strategies extend beyond conventional apparel.
Runway Shows Combine Creativity with Commercial Discovery
CENTRESTAGE hosted more than 40 supporting activities, including a record programme of over 30 fashion shows. The schedule featured established designers, emerging labels, sustainable collections and Spring/Summer 2027 product launches.
The CENTRESTAGE ELITES opening show presented more than 30 new looks from KIT WAN STUDIOS. The Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show subsequently introduced collections from 112 mountainyam, ANGUS TSUI, ARTY and Z I D I.
Circular fashion also remained prominent. The Redress Design Award 2026 concluded during the event, with German designer Jon Liesenfeld receiving first prize and Hong Kong designer Jasmine CheuCheuk securing the runner-up and Hong Kong Best awards.
CENTRESTAGE formed part of the third Hong Kong Fashion Fest, a citywide programme connecting fashion with design, culture, retail and sustainability.
The fair was also held alongside the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and Salon de TIME. This scheduling allowed international visitors to explore fashion, accessories and timepieces during one sourcing trip, as detailed in ChinaExpoHub’s Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair 2026 report.
Together, the record buyer attendance, international retail participation and reported orders demonstrate CENTRESTAGE’s growing commercial relevance for brands seeking entry into Hong Kong, mainland China and wider Asian markets.
Source: Hong Kong Trade Development Council, CENTRESTAGE and Hong Kong Fashion Fest.
