e, then I would consider launching other stores in other places.” His plan to “go with the flow and enjoy the journey” stretches beyond geography. Having achieved fameand accolades for creating wedding dresses, evening wear and handbags, he says he is keen to explore beyond the boundaries of fashion. “I enjoy designing everything – as long as it serves its purpose – and I don’t prefer to stick to a certain media at all. Maybe someday I will be keen on furniture design, too – it’s thrilling to see what the universe has arranged.” Yiu’s fashion journey began in his childhood. While still in primary school, he started making clothes for his younger sister, inspired by the flashing lights and toys in the arcade his family ran. Not his father’s preference “I remember going straight there after school and just starting to design. Back then, though, my family – especially my father – saw fashion design as essentially a female thing, so no one took my interest all that seriously. If you have a passion for something and if you really want to excel at it, though, you will know deep down that it is what you are destined to do, regardless of what anyone else might think.” His father was a police officer and in a curious twist of fate it was through the police that Yiu got his first fashion break. The children of law enforcement were eligible at the time for a scholarship program to study in the UK, so he leapt at the chance and took a fashion course, without telling his father what he was heading off to study. “It was only when they got my report card for the first semester that they found out what I was really studying. My dad was furious and that was really no surprise.” It worked out for Yiu. But despite his good fortune, he would not advise children from less progressively minded parents to follow in his steps today. “While I was fortunate and it all worked out for me in the end, that may well not be the case for everyone,” he said. “Ultimately, we all find our own route to success and that just happened to be mine.” Perseverance pays off Upon his return to Hong Kong, Yiu took up a regular 9-to-5 job to pay the bills while he created his own brand, Sovereign Romance, in his own time and sought opportunities to pursue his fashion design dream. Two years later, he was hired by a major mainland brand to design handbags, which led to a reality TV show for young designers. He was the first to be eliminated. “Even that didn’t discourage me. My competitive nature kept me going. It took me another six months of doing the same thing over and over – looking for the right assignment, knocking on doors and taking on whatever I was offered. It’s a daunting process, but I always believed it would pay off eventually.” He was right. In 2014, Yiu was named one of the Ten Outstanding Designers by the Hong Kong Communication Art Centre. The following year, he launched the Hong Kong wedding dress designbrand Kevolie, in partnership with Hong Kong actress Myolie Wu. Then he joined Sennet Frères, a label whose roots date back to France in the late 19th century and that was revived as a bridal brand in 2020. Yiu led the design and production team with singer Zhang Jingxuan, and established the Atelier brand. The following year, Yiu launched the Disney Princess collection for Sennet Frères, becoming the first licensed designer in the APAC region to design a complete fashion collection for all 14 Disney princesses and queens. International acclaim Fifteen years on from his debut in haute couture, Yiu’s unique take on feminine designs that feature meticulous embroidery has earned the admiration of international high fashion houses, famous actresses and other celebrities. One of his many high-profile successes was when singer Aga wore a colourful hand-beaded dress from his latest collection, Electrified, in the music video for her single “Mizu”, which at the time of writing has been viewed about a million times. (That’s Aga wearing the dress on this issue’s cover.) “The dress is made of printed Lycra and embellished with thousands of crystals. I always have dreams ofweird patterns and I just elaborated on the images I saw and applied the psychedelic pattern to the dress.” The dress worn by Aga epitomises the creative approach to the entire Electrified collection. Yiu talks about the eye-catching colours and kaleidoscopes, neon-light patterns and exaggerated fluorescent effects that evoke ’80s-era nostalgia – “just like being in the video game world of different games”. Thosein the know might even recognise faint traces of video game characters in some pieces. Aga’s video is not the first time a famous Asian celebrity has worn one of Yiu’s creations. Asked recently by Gafencu what his ‘punch-in-the-air’ career moment was, he replied: “Ultimately, I’d have to say it was the first time a celebrity picked one of my designs and wore it on stage. It was Sammi Cheng [the renowned Hong Kong singer and actor], and I remember every little detail. I was completely overwhelmed.” We asked Yiu which is tougher to design – bridal gowns or haute couture. “I think the bridal gown design is more challenging because a bridal dress is often considered classical and traditional, and on top of that sometimes there are rules to follow like religious and location matters. And frankly, the selection of colours is quite limited, too. “However, I entirely understand that all of the [requirements] help to illustrate a perfect, timeless loving moment and I still enjoy fulfilling each bride’s necessities. And most of all, to make them feel empowered and beautiful,” he shared. “On the other hand, couture is more about showcasing creativity as well as the aesthetic of the designer. It’s more about storytelling. I always wanted to try something not related to bridal after my contract ended with Kevolie. On his own “I took the role as creative director of Sennet Frères just a couple weeks after leaving Kevolie, and Sennet Frères is a brand with heritage so from my point of view, my personal experience might not be applicable to the brand, at least for the first few collections.” That’s what spurred him to venture out on his own – he converted his brand to Kev Yiu Couture. “There was a moment when I realised I had spent a decade working under others’ names and perspectives – which is a good thing from a financial point of view – but I think it’s the right time to give it a go and express who I truly am as a designer.” He is clearly encouraged by Asia’s growing profile as a design hub, challenging the established reign of Europe as the global fashion capital. “I think Asian fashion is definitely rising. People are paying more attention to Asian artists, especially after Michelle Yeoh won an Oscar [for her role in the film Everything, Everywhere, All At Once]. Also, Robert Wun’s debut on Haute Couture Week was a blast. In my opinion, it’s the golden opportunity to tell the world Asia is a great cradle for the artistic industry, with its unique culture and aesthetic.” For Kev Yiu, his emergence as a young, successful Asian haute couture designer is just as well, because he freely admits he never had a Plan B for his career. “Designing is the only thing I’m good at. It is very much part of my nature to want to tell a story and so I am forever visualising how people should look. My mind is always racing ahead in that regard. There really was no Plan B for me. This was always my ultimate and only career goal.” This story first appeared in the May 2023 issue of Inside Retail Magazine – Asia.