Hong Kong's annual fashion highlight, CENTRESTAGE, will open its 2026 edition on September 2 with a solo show by KIT WAN STUDIOS, a multidisciplinary design and visual art studio led by Hong Kong-born creative director and visual artist Kit Wan. The studio's forthcoming collection fuses sci-fi inspirations with mechanical aesthetics, blurring the boundaries between collectable and wearable fashion, according to a press release from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), which organizes the event.
KIT WAN STUDIOS is known for merging manga and mythology with bespoke, highly detailed metalwork, multimedia installations, and cinematic garment design. The studio's unique “abstract reality” approach spans one-of-a-kind costume design and permanent museum exhibits. This year's CENTRESTAGE ELITES promises to showcase the studio's signature style, which has already graced top-tier global stages. As a performative costume designer and scenographer, Kit Wan has designed “stage armour” for artists at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles and Eurovision in the United Kingdom, allowing Hong Kong design to shine internationally.
Simultaneously, the studio remains deeply rooted in Cantopop, injecting vibrant vitality into Hong Kong's entertainment and performing arts industry. By infusing pop culture with avant-garde, bold, and experimental aesthetics, he has pioneered a new visual dimension. The studio's collaborative roster includes local superstars such as Aaron Kwok, Hins Cheung, MC Cheung, Miriam Yeung, Nicholas Tse, and Panther Chan, as well as international acts like Alan Cumming, Warhol icon Cherry Vanilla, singer/songwriter Teddy Swims, and numerous Scandinavian pop stars.
Headlining this year's CENTRESTAGE ELITES marks a homecoming for the studio. “It feels like ‘THE’ moment for my work to come from my clearest voice, from my clearest mind,” Kit Wan said in the release. “I am grateful to my collaborators (famous and otherwise) but with any partnership it is a shared vision. This collection is from my heart, my voice – so completely – and I am excited to share that with my hometown of Hong Kong.”
The artist first majored in knitwear design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University before extending his footprint to Amsterdam and London, where he worked with several British luminaries. He then relocated to Oslo, Norway, where he completed his MA in fashion design and started exploring the space between art and fashion. He is the first fashion designer to be honored with the “Young Artist Award” by the Norwegian government, and his creations have been enshrined in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Norway. In 2025, the studio was selected by Fashion Asia Hong Kong as the sole Hong Kong representative among its “2025 10 Asian Designers to Watch”.
The artist will lead a sharing session during CENTRESTAGE, offering insights from his creative journey and the work of the studio, alongside a showcase of their innovative designs. Further details of this year’s event will be announced at a press conference on August 20.
Marking its 11th edition in 2026, CENTRESTAGE continues to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s fashion hub and a gateway connecting global design talent. The fair, organized by HKTDC and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), is one of the core events of the third edition of “Hong Kong Fashion Fest”. It will feature a curated selection of thematic zones, fashion parades, and industry seminars exploring topics such as sustainable fashion and the application of artificial intelligence in fashion design.
The importance of this event lies in its role in promoting Hong Kong's “Mega Events Economy”, with stage design and performance costumes integral to the audience experience at large-scale concerts and live performances. By spotlighting a local talent like Kit Wan, CENTRESTAGE underscores Hong Kong's cultural and creative vitality on a global stage.
