JOYCE launches the "Talent Shop" in collaboration with Hong Kong Design Institute at Joyce Cares PMQ recently. Following on from the successful "Upcycle Project" with the Institute of Textile & Clothing (ITC), JOYCE CARES - a unique sustainability platform that aims at nurturing upcoming artists and designers, channeling its creative spirit into philanthropy; JOYCE CARES extends the Joyce experience to the community by collaborating with emerging young talents on sustainable projects. The project is part of Joyce's on going mission to promote sustainability and corporate social responsibility through partnership with local institutions while providing retail support and opportunities to aspiring designers and visionaries. JOYCE has pledged HKD$10,000 worth of financial sponsorship to each brand in addition to an opportunity to retail their collections at JOYCE CARES PMQ unit from August to October 2014 in all areas of retail, including operations, visual merchandising, marketing and business planning. mylifestylenews caught with one of the shortlisted ready-to-wear labels <The World Is Your Oyster> menswear brand's founder & designer Calvin Chan & Joyce Kun to find out why they are in the fashion business......
We started our label <The World Is Your Oyster> in March 2014. Both of us had been discussing about doing something of our own for sometimes. Since Calvin is a graduate of HKDI, he suggested to join the project of Joyce Cares & HKDI so as to take real action for what we have been wanting to do.
We think that it's very hard for Hong Kong designers to sustain their own business in the local scene. First of all, owning a studio for working is very important and enhance the efficiency for designers. However, the rent for a small studio is already very high in Hong Kong. Secondly, the networking and connection for local designers to the outside market such as various international trade shows are rather weak. The cost and expenditure for joining those trade shows are very high, especially for fresh brands. We think the government should have given more support and subsidies for the local designers.
We think that by putting our designs in a real store rather than just online, we get to reach out to our customers widely. We can even talk to them face-to-face to gather more information for further assessment and improvement. Since Joyce owns a high reputation, having our own designs displaying in their talent shop helps to ensure our quality and gain the customer's confidence.
There are quite some international online store and select shops from other countries approach us at the moment and we are hoping that our designs will be able to sell worldwide soon. Meanwhile, we are planning to join some trade shows to gain more exposure and and to reach out to greater audience.
Most of the Hong Kong people only cares about fast fashion. They tend to follow specific trend at the moment than develop their own style of dressing. They pay a low price to buy clothes in fast fashion stores and they do not understand the price setting of Hong Kong designers' clothing label tend to be so much higher, there is a reason for it. Hence, the local people are not so supportive and appreciate the local designs. They rather support brands from Europe, Japan or Korea than the local designers as they think the quality is better and more worthy.
The cost of making clothes are really high in Hong Kong. Furthermore, owning a studio for working is another difficulty to many local designers. Lacking of supportive community and government makes the road even tougher for Hong Kong designers.
Fashion is our way of communication, to express ourselves and our ideas to our audience.
We do not design trend or style. We want to create our own style because that's the way we think what the "modern gentlemen" should wear.
The sum of cost for fabric, trimmings, manufacture and finishing will be used to justify the selling price point. Since our target customer will be those young adults, price setting will not be too high yet justifiable. We do not want to sell luxury, we rather provide a specific kind of style and attitude to our customer.
The satisfaction by hearing good feedback from customer and people in the industry and witnessing the whole process of the production for our own collection is what we want to achieve for being a fashion designer.
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