Fiona Fang is the co-founder of Allegory, a casual-but-considered clothing brand that promotes sustainable fashion
In a world where first impressions are sometimes the only impressions you get to make, dressing with intent is key. “What you wear has meaning and [is] how you present yourself visually to the world,” says Fiona Fang, co-founder of new Hong Kong fashion brand Allegory. This philosophy is embodied not only by the brand’s sophisticated approach to design, but also by the sustainable story behind each piece of Allegory clothing.
This spring, Fang and her business partner Hoiki Liu launched a capsule line of garments made using deadstock: excess material left over by fabric suppliers who have overestimated their needs. Fang and Liu seek out rolls of fabric, especially those which are organic, recycled and machine- washable, from nearby mills in Asia. The mini dresses, midi shirt dresses and unstructured blazers in the collection have one thing in common: the colour black. “Black is the Allegory brand voice: it’s feminine, confident and effortless,” Fang says. “Black is also the toughest deadstock to source, since it’s so versatile and seasonless, so companies like to hold on to it.”
According to a 2019 report by the Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong sends 339 tonnes of textile waste to landfill per day, half of which is clothing, and a 2017 Greenpeace survey showed that Hongkongers ranked among the most voracious clothing consumers in the world, but 53 per cent of people owned clothes they had never worn. By not creating additional fashion waste and focusing on versatile basics rather than temporary trends, Allegory helps nudge shopping habits away from destructive fast fashion.