‘Even the French had to admit it was good’: when Hong Kong sent models and garment makers to Paris to show ready-to-wear fashion for the first time
- The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) had French firms fretting when it first sent fashion models and garment makers to a Paris ready-to-wear show
- Manufacturers in Europe were concerned about competition from the East, but the TDC was complimented for showing what Hong Kong was capable of
“Hongkong will stage a major ready-to-wear show at the Salon International de Pret-a-Porter Feminin in Paris from April 4 to 8 next year,” reported the South China Morning Post on August 26, 1980. “A prime exhibition site covering more than 5,000 sq metres has been secured for a Salon de Hongkong at the fashion fair.”
On March 30, 1981, the Post reported that “some of Hongkong’s top models […] will join 30 top international models from Paris, London and New York for a week of presentations to bring Hongkong fashion to the world’s top garment buyers at the Paris Pret-a-Porter. The ready-to-wear promotion, Mode Hongkong ’81, is organised by the Trade Development Council.”
On April 9, the president of the Federation Francaise du Pret-a-Porter Feminin, Jean-Claude Weill, was quoted as saying, “The decision to allow Hongkong into the Pret has caused me a lot of problems. The manufacturers did not like it and were frightened of the competition.
“Two months ago they approached me with certain demands, but it was too late. The decision to let Hongkong in had been made.
“We are an international exhibition so we have to allow other countries in. If we had said no to Hongkong it would have had the means to exhibit in the middle of Paris.
“We prefer to have Hongkong inside this exhibition.”
