Kindred spirits create design spectacular (hktdc.com)


	Creative spirits from around the world will unite in the innovative design showcase Project 9707

	Allan Chiang says Project 9707 will further elevate Hong Kong's international design image

	Celebrated jewellery designer Kai Yin Lo is helping Hong Kong's creative talent reach out to the world

Hong Kong's creative sector is partnering with prestigious global brands in a series of exciting events celebrating Hong Kong's reunification with China. Called appropriately Project 9707 (1997-2007), this design showcase reflects how Hong Kong's unique history and culture has inspired the city's design professionals.

Allan Chiang, newly appointed CEO of Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) which is spearheading the project, says it is comprised of three elements:

* Creation 9707 – matching 10 Hong Kong designers with 10 international brands to produce 10 creative products

* Image 9707 – 10 international and Hong Kong design celebrities each producing a T-shirt design to reflect the city's vibrancy and creativity

* Design 9707 - a publication called Very Hong Kong: 1997-2007 showcasing around 87 cases of Hong Kong design excellence

"The project aims to show that Hong Kong designers are capable of creating world-class products and developing international frontiers for the city's design industry," Mr Chiang said.

Global brands

The 10 global brands include Alessi, Georg Jensen, Herman Miller, K.E.F., LeSportSac, Royal Copenhagen, Salvatore Ferragamo, Shanghai Tang, o.d.m. and Life of Circle.

Shanghai Tang which is owned by a Swiss luxury goods company, Richemont, and has stores in London and New York, has selected celebrated jewellery designer Kai Yin Lo as its "creative partner" for the project. Ms Lo will design a cashmere shawl for ladies and a unisex scarf for men and women.

She said she is excited about the Creation 9707 project as "it endorses the stature of Hong Kong design when top global companies work with us".

"It is exciting to be designing things other than jewellery which I am known for. As designers, we are very versatile and would like to take the opportunity to do other things," said Ms Lo. She reinterpreted traditional Chinese symbols "something living, something new" for this project.

"It is this universality that Hong Kong is aiming for and this represents our position in reaching out to the world," she added.

Other creative partnerships include renowned designers Vivienne Tam and Georg Jensen; Barney Cheng and LeSportSac; Salvatore Ferragamo and Alan Chan; o.d.m and Michael Young; Alessi and Gary Chang; Life of Circle and Freeman Lau; Herman Miller and Eric Chan; K.E.F; and Lo Chi Wang; Royal Copenhagen and Kan Tai Keung.

Adding value

Mr Chiang said that Hong Kong's design industry is already well-developed but that HKDC, set up in 2001 as a non-profit organisation, will further promote it as a value-added activity that helps businesses to excel.

"Hong Kong has a highly regarded intellectual property protection regime so this makes it a great city to institute a well-established design community," he said. "The city's designers are known for their professionalism, creativity and efficiency and understand business practices from both the international community and the Chinese mainland."

Besides Project 9707, HKDC has organised Business of Design Week (BODW), Asia's leading conference on design, brand and innovation to the business and design community. "BODW has put Hong Kong on the international design map these few years," said Mr Chiang

Project 9707 will include activities such as local and overseas exhibitions and symposiums held in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and overseas. Venues in Hong Kong include the HKTDC Design Gallery at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre HKCEC (from now till August 10), the 2nd International Festival and Expo at HKCEC (September 14 – 19); and InnoCentre at Kowloon Tong (September 9 – 25). There will also be a charity auction of the works in December to support design education in Hong Kong.

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