Lingerie made to flaunt
The organisers of this Friday night's In Celebration of Woman fashion show were fairly confident they would have little trouble selling all the tables in the Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt - priced $38,000 to $100,000 - for their charity black-tie event.
They were right. Within two weeks, there wasn't a seat left to be had. Indeed, the entertainment to be provided at the dinner-cum-catwalk show has had something to do with its preliminary success: lacy slips, silky camisoles and sexy maillots from luxury Italian lingerie brand La Perla; 20 of the most perfect bodies imaginable to flaunt them; promises of a 'stunning finale' and diamond jewellery hidden in microscopic undies. No wonder local tai tais didn't have to coerce their husbands into footing a table bill or two.
Friday night's fashion extravaganza will also mark something of a comeback for another familiar face on the style front. Marguerite Lee, the woman responsible for introducing Hong Kong to upscale underthings, has been taken on as image consultant for La Perla.
Until recently, the brand was under the control of local underwear manufacturer Topform before being acquired by Imaginex which represents high-fashion names in the league of Salvatore Ferragamo.
'La Perla is something that is close to my heart,' said Ms Lee, who was advocating the idea of sweet and silky underwear when Hong Kong women still perceived bras and panties as nothing more than functional necessities.
The upcoming production marks not only a revival for the La Perla name in Hong Kong, but perhaps one of the most provocative - albeit tastefully so - runway events to mark the fashion show calendar. The time, say the organisers, is right: underwear as outerwear is a dominant style trend romancing the rife commercialism of the international catwalks.
It also highlights fashion's prevailing adventurous spirit: a willingness to show a shoulder here, some cleavage there, perhaps a bare back. And while the event, choreographed by Alan Bailey, will showcase everything from La Perla day-wear to evening dresses, a strong undercurrent of sexiness will be its defining message.