In a time when public attention spans have grown increasingly fleeting, with everyone seemingly able to achieve 15 minutes of fame, who could have imagined a designer sustaining their vision for an entire decade? Hong Kong designer Angus Tsui has done just that – ushering his eponymous brand into its first 10-year milestone, all while maintaining his unique aesthetic and unwavering commitment to sustainability. In an industry increasingly prone to homogeneity, Tsui's ability to steadfastly preserve his creative identity is what truly sets him apart as a pioneering, boundary-pushing talent. His accomplishments have now earned him selection as an emerging designer at this year's CENTRESTAGE showcase.

As the brand celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, could you reflect on how your design, style, and aesthetics have evolved?

In the early days of the brand, we experimented with all kinds of possibilities and tried to incorporate various elements into our collections. It wasn’t until more recently that we discovered the “futuristic” style that aligned well with the core design ethos of our brand. During the creative process, I often draw inspiration from the worldviews and aesthetics of science fiction films like Alien, Blade Runner, and Dune. The unique settings and concepts in these works have significantly influenced us to develop our own organic, biomorphic design language.

For the upcoming SS25 “GIGER” collection that will be showcased at CENTRESTAGE 2024 Fashion Hong Kong, we have amplified the complexity of the tailoring to deliver an even more fantastical visual impact. This collection pays tribute to the late Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger, who has long been a key creative influence on our brand’s design aesthetic.

After ten years of running a sustainable fashion business in Hong Kong, do you feel that the city’s understanding and acceptance of this industry have improved?

In recent years, Hong Kong people have developed a deeper understanding of sustainable development. As one of the most important core values of our brand, our team has always believed that "sustainable fashion" should not just be used by brands as a promotional strategy but is a social responsibility that every brand, designer, industry worker, and even consumer should shoulder. Over the years, we have added various sustainable design elements into each of our collections, while also responding to local consumer demand for sustainable design. For example, for the design of the recent "XenoFuturist" series, we used BCI Cotton (Better Cotton Initiative) produced by Stella Blu Textile to create a variety of washable children's clothing, reducing water usage and pollution in the production process. We have also collaborated with The Billie Upcycling to produce an eco-friendly knitwear collection using recycled cotton blended with Merino Wool. These designs have received very positive feedback from both the fashion industry and the local market.

In addition to operating your own brand, you are also committed to educating the community about eco-friendly and sustainable fashion. Could you elaborate on the specific initiatives or programs you’ve spearheaded to prompt these concept?

Considering that high-end fashion has limited reach with the general public, the ANCares Environmental Education Initiative has become a key project for us, in addition to our collections. The goal is to integrate creative, sustainable design elements into people’s everyday lives, inspiring them to make eco-friendly choices. Over the past years, ANCares has collaborated with a diverse range of brands, companies, and environmental organisations from American Eagle, Mercedes-Benz, to Swire Properties and Redress to launch various sustainable design collections and related projects.

For example, the uniforms worn by staff at Swire Properties’ malls, AIA, and Shangri-La hotels are made from environmentally-friendly materials and sustainably designed, exposing the general public to sustainable practices and gently nudging them towards more eco-consious choices in their everyday lives.

Similarly, a project that stands out is our partnership with Cathay Pacific in 2018 for the “Well Travelled Lai See” programme. Working with the rehabilitation team at St. James’ Settlement, we upcycled the airline’s retired uniforms into multipurpose, eco-friendly Lai See (Red Packet) envelopes. This not only reduced waste from the traditional polythene envelopes and uniforms, but also gave marginalised members of the community a platform to showcase their talents. Additionally, it made the concept of sustainable design more tangible and relevant to people’s lives.

Recently, the brand has provided stage performance attire for many artists and performers. How do you balance the concerns of creative design and practical wearability?

Our distinctive style and highly recognisable silhouettes are likely key factors behind our brand's popularity within the entertainment industry. Accounting for the specific performance needs of the wearer, we carefully adjust the materials, cuts, and overall visual aesthetic during the design process. While preserving the brand's unique design DNA, we also enhance the garments' wearability and mobility, allowing the design and the performer to work in harmony.

Structure and silhouette appear to be crucial elements of the brand's products. How do these aspects help you create different styles and personal aesthetics?

The complex, dynamic three-dimensional structure and pattern design are indispensable to the ANGUS TSUI brand. Our creative team dedicates extensive time researching historical pattern books and cutting techniques, from ancient to modern, to develop a wide range of unique designs. For example, a seemingly basic denim jacket may actually be composed of thirty to forty individual pattern pieces. We then strategically use high-contrast wash effects and exotic gradient colours to accentuate the raw, broken-in lines that emerge after washing, highlighting the meticulous attention to detail in each design.

Beyond understanding the overall garment structure, the design process also requires integrating the unique properties of the fabrics to achieve harmonious visual and aesthetic balance. In recent years, we've come to deeply appreciate how business acumen and creative vision can coexist and even amplify each other. Within each collection, we incorporate conceptual, attention-grabbing styles to generate buzz, then extract specific design details and silhouettes to develop ready-to-wear pieces. This allows the brand's customers to incorporate the collection into both their daily lives and special occasions, cultivating a cohesive, distinctive brand identity and design aesthetic.

What do you think of the word “avant-garde”?

For our brand, the term "avant-garde" means “boldly embracing one’s own unique identity”. "Avant-garde" is not necessarily limited to visuals – it can be an idea, a conviction, or even an aspiration for the future. Being "avant-garde" means following what you believe to be the right path, not in order to stand out or go against the grain, but to attract an audience that can appreciate your distinct qualities and design. Through your work, you tell a story.