Vera Wang called her, Barney Cheng said ‘do your own thing’: Hong Kong fashion designer Vivian Luk on starting out, moving on from bridal gowns, and cancer

Fashion designer Vivian Luk, known for her wedding dresses, is moving into daywear. She talks to the Post about working for Vera Wang, surviving cancer and more

Luk did not originally think her signature sculptural flair would translate to daywear, but she has now released her first ready-to-wear collection

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Vivian Luk at a recent event in Hong Kong. Photo: Kim Lo

Mabel Lui

Published: 7:15am, 4 Dec 2023Updated: 12:42pm, 4 Dec 2023

After years of creating bridal gowns and bespoke pieces with her signature sculptural flair, fashion designer Vivian Luk is stepping into new territory.

How did you first fall in love with design?

“I drew a lot when I was young, and like all Asian parents, my mum wanted me to go to a private school. I didn’t get into the schools that were academically based, but I got into art school.

“Seeing my dad as an interior designer, it was more natural for me to think about a career in the arts. I applied [to Parsons, in New York], didn’t get in, so I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology first, and then applied again and finally got into Parsons.”

Luk and Emily Lam-Ho, the founder and chief executive of investment platform Empact28, at an event at the St Regis hotel in Hong Kong in October 2023. Photo: Kim Lo

In New York, you made it to Vera Wang. How did you get there?