The awards were presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, Oct 2 at the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held Sept 29-Oct 3 in Atlanta, Georgia.

“We are honored to receive these two awards from such an august body as the IEDC,” said Anthony Mak, HKTDC Director for New York. “Fashion Hong Kong at New York Fashion Week is an extensive marketing program that includes runway shows, business meetings, market visits, media interviews and post-show receptions.”

He added, The project brings economic benefits to both the US and Hong Kong by creating jobs and fostering business development in the fashion and creative industries. The Fashion Hong Kong campaign tactically promotes brand awareness for the event through selected media channels and social media platforms in the US market. Over time, this strategy has built a consistent image of Hong Kong as a trend-setting hub for fashion,” he added.

Fashion Hong Kong is an integrated and comprehensive campaign to promote Hong Kong designers and labels in the global fashion arena. It showcases Hong Kong’s fashion creativity and explores business opportunities for Hong Kong designers in the international marketplace. Held annually at New York Fashion Week since 2016, Fashion Hong Kong has brought nine fashion collections and 35 accessories brands to the event.

"This year our judges reviewed some extraordinary projects that advanced both communities and businesses,” said Craig Richard, 2018 IEDC Board Chair, and President and CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation in Tampa, Florida. “We congratulate all the award winners, and thank everyone who nominated their projects for sharing their success with fellow IEDC members. What we learn from each other helps us to grow and advance as a profession. We look forward to even greater participation from economic developers across the globe in the 2019 awards program.”

IEDC is the world's largest membership organization for economic development professionals. Economic developers promote economic wellbeing and quality of life in their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC members represent the entire range of economic development