There are four generations of designers in Hong Kong since the sixties according to Michael Miller Yu.  The first generation of designers includes names* like Henry Steiner, Wucius Wong, Kan Tai Keung, Kenneth Ko and Alan Zie Yongder.  Among the second generation would be Hon Bing Wah, Alan Chan, Michael himself and Mike Chu.  Next in line will be Tommy Li, Eric Chan, Eddy Yu, Freeman Lau, Stanley Wong, Dennis Chan, Kelly Sze and the fourth generation of upcoming stars are Hung Lam, Javin Mo and others of this period.  These are the designers who make Hong Kong design what it is today. The legacy of local design continues as these individuals embark on a quest to take Hong Kong design to the next level not just in Hong Kong but also internationally.
*The names mentioned are a representative of their generation and are in no particular order.

 A SLICE OF HONG KONG DESIGN HISTORY

In the early sixties, tourism in Hong Kong started to boom as more and more people became interested in visiting this earl of the orient? It was in this same period that design guru Henry Steinertook the opportunity to start his design business in Hong Kong.  His designs became extremely popular and had a major influence on local Hong Kong designers. Henry list of clients consists of international hotels, large British and US Corporations and banking giants such as HSBC. 

With the establishment of the Hong Kong Trade & Development Council to promote Hong Kong to the world, design and advertising went into high gear under the leadership of Mr. Marshall Corazza.  Other big names began to surface. These include Ex-HKDA Chairman Chow Chi Bor and designers Lana Chan, Kan Tai Keung and Alan Zie Yonder, to name just a few.

As the local economy blossomed, there was a dramatic increase in the establishment of local and international advertising agencies. Lurking inside these agencies was a new breed of designers and illustrators.  Many of these individuals started to make a name for themselves by winning prestigious design and advertising awards around the world and a new generation of designers is born.  Many people hold the view that Henry Steiner and Kan Tai Keung let the world know about Hong Kong design much the same way that Bruce Lee introduced Kung Fu to the world.  This just goes to show the impact of Hong Kong design at that period.  

As with all economies, there are good days and bad days.  Many will remember the financial crisis and the uncertainties after 1997 when the advertising and design industry saw a decline in business. Fortunately many designers persisted through this difficult period and with the gradual uptrend in the economy, the need for quality design and advertising services surfaced once again.

What makes Hong Kong designers unique from designers in the mainland is their international viewpoints and training. It is no surprise that between the eighties and nineties, many local graphic designers, interior designers and architects from Hong Kong were invited to give talks and seminars on design and advertising in major cities in the mainland such as Guangzhou. The knowledge and expertise are still evident in many of China designs today.

Some like to compare Hong Kong designs with those of Italy and New York.  A fair comparison is hard considering the different cultural, social and historic backgrounds of these countries. Even if Hong Kong designers win hundreds of awards abroad, this does not mean that Hong Kong designers are etter?than designers from other countries.  It is like saying Chinese film directors are 詁etter?than their US counterpart because Ang Lee won an Oscar for the movie  訡rouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? A claim like that would be too superficial!  On the other hand, some are asking if designers from the mainland are 詁etter?than Hong Kong designers. There may be an answer to this question if one sees a dramatic increase of invitations for mainland designers to give talks and seminars in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong designers have achieved excellent results on the international design arena winning many awards between themselves including D&AD, Art Directors Club, Graphis and Communication Arts.  This only goes to show that Hong Kong design are recognized for its exceptionally high international standard.

Looking ahead, there are many Hong Kong designers who have a deep passion for design and one can expect to see even more exciting work from Hong Kong.(by MICHAEL MILLER YU)  

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