From 15 March to mid-April, visitors to Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) will have access to the work of some of Hong Kong’s leading lights in design at a special pop-up store.

The work, which comes from the fields of product design, furniture design, and fashion and fashion accessory design, has been specially selected by the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) as part of a pilot exchange program. The aim of the program, titled DXHK Melbourne 2018, is to establish Hong Kong as a centre of design excellence in Asia.

The participating designers are Polly Ho, Chan Po Fung, Ricky Lai, Jackie Luk, Max Lam, Joe Kwan, Nelson Leung and Raft Wong. They visited Melbourne for the launch of the pop-up, which opened during Melbourne Design Week.

Kaleido Torch and Night Light by Rcube Design Studio

Kaleido Torch and Night Light by Rcube Design Studio was inspired by traditional kaleidoscopes. The light source and brightness can be adjusted by sliding the middle portion up and down. Kaleido Torch and Night Light functions as a torch when held, with the light emanating from the base.

Product designer Raft Wong, the Design Director and Founder of Rcube Design Studio, Wong strives to use simple, eco-sensitive and tactile materials in his designs to achieve his design philosophy: “Simplicity and Surprise, Materiality and Immateriality, from Object to Space”.

Ruler Dock, Ex Cupholder Clip, Ball Tabletop Mirror and Kaleido Torch and Night Light by Rcube Design Studio

Also on display are Rcube’s Ball Tabletop Mirror (with a ball handle for smudge-free positioning), Ex Cupholder Clip (which can hold variously sized containers and fasten to any flat surface), and Ruler Dock (for smart phones).

Hexa Duet by Project-J

Jackie Luk, who founded design company Project-J, is presenting her Hexa Duet stool. It combines digital fabrication with traditional metalwork. It’s fabricated from a single piece of sheet metal that is digitally cut and then bent into a self-supporting stool.

The focus of Project-J has been the integration of material, traditional craft and new fabrication techniques to create products that are suitable for urban living and provide alternatives for those who are looking for something affordable.

King of Kowloon Washi Tape from Open Quote Concept Store

Communication designer, artist and curator Ricky Lai is the Creative Director of Open Quote Concept Store, which he founded in 2014 to nurture the arts in Hong Kong. From Open Quote’s collection, the King of Kowloon Washi Tape and King of Kowloon Notebook (designed by Joel Chung) will be displayed in Melbourne.

Other designs on display include lights, clothing, watches, bags and more.