Asia Fashion Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 48 Week of 19 January 2026
(1) Alice Ho Extends Influence to UAE with Sustainable Fashion Show, Featuring Model Hu Bing
Late Stanley Ho’s daughter Alice Ho co-curates sustainable fashion show in Abu Dhabi, featuring Hu Bing; promotes eco-materials and Eastern aesthetics at ADSW 2026 to advance global climate action.
(2) Valentino Mourns Founder’s Passing While Embracing Chinese New Year with Authentic “Illuminate Your Dream” Lantern Fair in Shanghai
Valentino founder Garavani passed away at 93 on Jan 19; brand marks Chinese New Year 2026 with authentic “Illuminate Your Dream” lantern fair at historic Shanghai Tianhou Palace, co-creating with local artists.
(3) Anta branded posts low single-digit decline in retail sale in Q4
ANTA Sports reported Q4 negative growth for core Anta brand but strong gains in Fila & other labels; full-year 2025 still achieved positive growth across all brands despite slowdown.
(4) Van Cleef & Arpels ‘Poetry of Time’ exhibition debuts in HK with rare Planétarium automaton
Van Cleef & Arpels opens “Poetry of Time” exhibition in Hong Kong Jan 24–Feb 8, 2026, featuring Hong Kong debut of Planétarium automaton, signature collections, workshops, and interactive Parisian guinguette space.
(1) Alice Ho Extends Influence to UAE with Sustainable Fashion Show, Featuring Model Hu Bing
(Photo Credit: Xiaohongshu@何超欣Alice)
Alice Ho, daughter of the late Macau gaming tycoon Stanley Ho, continues to expand her professional footprint internationally. Holding dual degrees in management and architecture from MIT, followed by a master’s from Tsinghua University, she currently serves as Chief Youth Officer of the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC).
In Abu Dhabi during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026), she made her debut as co-curator of a sustainable fashion show under the RevougeX initiative. The event invited five leading global sustainable fashion designers who showcased collections crafted from eco-friendly materials such as pineapple leaf fibre and recycled plastic, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern technology to promote harmony between fashion and ecology. Chinese actor and international supermodel Hu Bing was specially invited as a runway model, lending significant star power to the presentation. Hu later shared his gratitude on Weibo for receiving the “Global Sustainable Fashion Innovation Pioneer” award, highlighting the significance of walking in heritage-inspired eco-garments that fuse Eastern aesthetics with sustainability principles.
This project underscores Alice Ho’s strategic use of her privilege, education, and network to advance climate and youth leadership agendas. By participating in additional workshops, she actively accumulates practical knowledge while reinforcing her image as a capable, multifaceted figure beyond her family legacy. Her growing international presence in sustainability circles signals a deliberate shift toward thought leadership and cross-sector collaboration, potentially elevating her personal brand while contributing meaningfully to global ESG conversations.
News Source: https://www.stheadline.com/film-drama/3537584/
(2) Valentino Mourns Founder’s Passing While Embracing Chinese New Year with Authentic “Illuminate Your Dream” Lantern Fair in Shanghai
(Photo Credit: Valentino)
On January 19, 2026, the fashion world lost a true legend with the passing of Valentino Garavani at age 93 in Rome. His 1967 “no-color” collection of whites, beiges, and ivories rejected psychedelic trends and established the brand’s signature luxurious elegance. Over five decades, his precise tailoring, opulent details, and fusion of classical and modern aesthetics dressed icons. The iconic “Valentino Red,” a deep luminous crimson symbolizing feminine confidence, became the brand’s defining signature. In 2008, at age 76, Garavani retired dramatically on the Milan haute couture runway amid thunderous applause after 48 years.
Amid this moment of mourning, Valentino honored Chinese New Year 2026 with “Illuminate Your Dream,” an immersive lantern fair at Shanghai’s historic Tianhou Palace (founded 1884). Rather than superficial cultural borrowing, the brand deeply engaged with the site’s century-long story of resilience and adaptation—mirroring the enduring spirit of a luxury house—and let the venue’s history become the narrative protagonist, lending authentic, non-verbal credibility.
Curated by Rockbund Art Museum’s X Zhu-Nowell, the multi-sensory festival featured light-and-shadow installations by local Chinese artists reinterpreting traditional crafts: Wentao Li’s Foshan lantern horse (nodding to the Year of the Horse), Zhenchen Liu’s medicinal plant lanterns, and Xu Mingyu’s contemporary bamboo-weaving work. Interactive traditions—sugar painting, pitch-pot games, seasonal foods—combined with a celebrity launch by ambassadors Sun Li, Yang Zi, and Lareina Song created shareable, emotionally resonant moments. By acting as co-creator within China’s living cultural journey, Valentino elevated seasonal marketing into meaningful emotional capital, demonstrating how luxury brands can navigate market challenges through genuine cultural collaboration and custodianship of collective memory.
News Source: https://news.mingpao.com/pns/%E5%89%AF%E5%88%8A/article/20260122/s00005/1769013909700
https://jingdaily.com/posts/how-valentino-built-emotional-capital-through-a-lantern-fair
(3) Anta branded posts low single-digit decline in retail sale in Q4
(Photo Credit: Yicai Global)
ANTA Sports Products Limited (2020) reported mixed retail performance in the fourth quarter of 2025. The core Anta brand experienced low single-digit negative growth compared with the same period in 2024, signaling a clear slowdown in its largest and historically most important revenue contributor.
In contrast, the Fila brand achieved mid-single-digit positive growth, while all other branded products recorded very strong growth of 35–40%. This divergence indicates that the company’s growth momentum in late 2025 was mainly driven by non-core and emerging labels rather than the flagship Anta brand.
The Q4 slowdown of the Anta brand may reflect intensified competition in the mass and mid-tier sportswear market, cautious consumer sentiment, and possible channel inventory pressure. However, ANTA’s ability to deliver full-year growth, together with the robust performance of diversification initiatives, demonstrates the effectiveness of its multi-brand strategy and strong execution in emerging segments. The modest 0.92% rise in share price to HK$82.55 on Tuesday before the filing release suggests the market viewed the overall result as acceptable and in line with expectations rather than disappointing.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/market/article/322123/
(4) Van Cleef & Arpels ‘Poetry of Time’ exhibition debuts in HK with rare Planétarium automaton
(Photo Credit: The Standard)
Van Cleef & Arpels is set to open its immersive “Poetry of Time” exhibition at Central Ferry Pier 4 in Hong Kong from January 24 to February 8, 2026. The showcase celebrates the Maison’s distinctive watchmaking heritage, founded in 1906 at Place Vendôme, Paris, where technical precision intertwines with poetic storytelling to capture “the magic of fleeting moments.” Visitors will journey through five thematic universes that have defined the brand’s identity for over a century, gaining rare behind-the-scenes insight into its métiers d’art, innovative mechanisms, and artistic philosophy that elevate timepieces beyond mere instruments into wearable narratives.
A centerpiece of the exhibition is the Planétarium automaton, making its Hong Kong debut. This extraordinary timepiece animates planetary movements through sophisticated complications, embodying the brand’s pursuit of celestial poetry fused with mechanical mastery. Signature collections including Perlée, Vintage Alhambra, Ludo, and Cadenas—often described as “jewels that tell time”—will also be on display, highlighting how Van Cleef & Arpels transforms horology into sculptural, artistic objects. The experience concludes in an interactive Parisian guinguette-inspired space offering digital engagements and refreshments, creating an atmospheric blend of elegance and accessibility.
Complementing the main display are educational and family-oriented initiatives: “Craft your Poetry of Time” workshops invite children to create personalized wall clocks inspired by the brand’s Poetic Astronomy theme, while L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts partners with Van Cleef & Arpels to host talks on mechanical watchmaking, automata, and precision craftsmanship. Strategically timed during the Lunar New Year season, the exhibition reinforces the Maison’s cultural resonance in Asia, merging luxury heritage with interactive storytelling to deepen emotional connections with both connoisseurs and new audiences in one of its key markets.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/hong-kong-news/article/321927/
