Hong Kong designer Yoyo Lau is armed with a mission: to create playful loungewear that reflects Hong Kong culture — and she achieves it in her collaboration with Novelty Lane and Dézert. As one of this year’s CENTERSTAGE EMERGING DESIGNERS, Lau has always possessed a desire to bring joy to people through her clothes. Such pure intentions are admirable.
- Your creations take outdoor activities and practicality into consideration. What made you choose to design in this style?
Apart from taking a piece’s visual appeal into account when I design my products, comfort and functionality are also important, if not more so. This especially applies to children’s clothes — it is important to value high-quality materials and craftsmanship whilst also incorporating fun elements so that kids can feel comfortable and happy in their clothes. This is why YOYO LAU’s style leans more toward the fun, outdoorsy side of things.
- Your brand prides itself on incorporating elements of Hong Kong’s history and culture in its designs. Which parts of Hong Kong’s history and culture inspire you the most?
I take inspiration from all facets of life, from clothes and food to everyday life and travel or entertainment. You must observe the people and places surrounding them to really immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Hong Kong’s culture. These elements are all incorporated into my designs to convey the unique characteristics of this city.
- Your brand also designs clothing for children and emphasises the importance of staying true to one’s inner child. What made you focus on this when you first started your brand?
When I first established my brand, I did not consider making children’s clothes. I only decided to do so in 2021, when I participated in a kidswear design competition themed “童一天空”. It made me reminisce on all the fun times I had as a child, such as my days playing Ludo. This then inspired me to design a children’s line based on the visual elements of Ludo. It evokes the feeling of soaring freely in the sky while also representing the journey of finding oneself and one’s direction in life. Through my line of children’s clothing, I hope kids can understand and discover childhood games and collective memories that are unique to Hong Kong while preserving local culture.
- The theme for CENTERSTAGE this year is “Radiant Wellness”. How do you think clothing/fashion can help one achieve a feeling of physical and spiritual satisfaction?
I often hear my friends say that they naturally feel happier when they put on new clothes, shoes, or bags. I hope my designs can also bring joy and contentment to the people around me so that they can wear clothes they love every day and feel the happiness and confidence that fashion can bring them.
- What kind of impact do you hope your designs will have on Hong Kong?
Beyond exploring the pure intentions and collective childhood memories that are unique to Hong Kong people, the brand hopes to shine more light on local Hong Kong designers on a global scale. We hope to promote the diversity of Hong Kong culture through our products and our participation in various international exhibitions and wish to dispel any misunderstandings or biases other countries might have about Hong Kong’s fashion culture being too conservative or unoriginal.
- What are your future plans for the brand?
In the future, we hope the brand can participate in more exhibitions and fashion shows outside of Hong Kong and put out even more interesting and unique designs. At the same time, we also hope to collaborate with more people from different fields to generate creative synergy and contribute even more to the fashion world.
