Late Greg Derham's fancy dress shop lives on
GalaThe late Greg Derham's fancy dress shop is to continue as a venue for corporate events and parties. And his costumes will not be going to waste, reportsJames King
There is a corner of Hong Kong that is forever the Berlin of the burlesque 1930s and the Sahara of Lawrence of Arabia, and the Caribbean of Jack Sparrow and Elvis '68 comeback-era Las Vegas. It is the flamboyant fantasy land of the late, lamented Greg Derham - and it is coming back to life with a wink, a pout and an insouciant sashay through the dressing-up boxes of the ages.
Not that House of Siren, his labour-of-love tribute to the allure of couture, ever completely went away, even after the unexpected death of Derham, 44, last October.
The House was a colourful, if chaotic, portal to a world of make-believe powered by Derham's devotion to costume design - the more outrageous the better. Whether you wanted to be Madonna or an Orthodox Russian bishop for the evening, House of Siren was your access-all areas pass.
Since its inception in 1994, the company had maintained a considerable presence at fashion shows, gala bashes, corporate shindigs and private parties.
In 2010, Derham, who had arrived in Hong Kong from Victoria, Australia, in 1989, moved House of Siren's dazzling collection of glittering threads to Robinson Road, Mid-Levels.
Derham was primed for success at his new headquarters, but fate had other plans.
