The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) announced that KIT WAN STUDIOS, led by Hong Kong-born creative director and visual artist Kit Wan, will headline the CENTRESTAGE ELITES runway on September 2, 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The show, which opens the CENTRESTAGE fair running from September 2 to 5, will feature the studio’s forthcoming collection blending sci-fi inspirations with mechanical aesthetics, blurring the lines between collectable and wearable fashion.
This year’s CENTRESTAGE ELITES is part of the third edition of “Hong Kong Fashion Fest,” organized by HKTDC and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA). The event underscores Hong Kong’s push to promote a “Mega Events Economy,” with large-scale concerts and performances becoming integral to the city’s cultural landscape. Stage design and performance costumes are key to audience experiences, and KIT WAN STUDIOS is known for merging manga and mythology with bespoke metalwork, multimedia installations, and cinematic garment design.
Kit Wan, a multidisciplinary designer and scenographer, treats sets and lighting as a collaborative canvas, weaving music and mood into his work. He has designed “stage armour” for global stages, including the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles and Eurovision in the UK, while remaining deeply rooted in Cantopop. His collaborative roster includes local superstars like Aaron Kwok, Hins Cheung, and Nicholas Tse, as well as international figures such as Alan Cumming and Teddy Swims. The studio’s avant-garde garments and installations erase boundaries between clothing, performance, and art.
Headlining CENTRESTAGE ELITES marks a homecoming for Wan, who said, “It feels like ‘THE’ moment for my work to come from my clearest voice… This collection is from my heart, my voice – so completely – and I am excited to share that with my hometown of Hong Kong.” Wan studied knitwear at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University before working in Amsterdam and London, then completing an MA in fashion design in Oslo, Norway. He is the first fashion designer to receive Norway’s “Young Artist Award,” and his work is in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Norway. In 2025, Fashion Asia Hong Kong selected the studio as the sole Hong Kong representative among its “2025 10 Asian Designers to Watch.”
During CENTRESTAGE, Wan will lead a sharing session on his creative journey. The fair, now in its 11th edition, reinforces Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s fashion hub and a gateway for global design talent. It will feature thematic zones, fashion parades, and industry seminars on sustainable fashion and AI in design. More details will be announced at a press conference on August 20.
Photos of KIT WAN STUDIO and CENTRESTAGE 2025 are available at this link.
