HONG KONG — Complex officially named Verdy, known for his work as the artistic director of BLACKPINK’s Born Pink World Tour, founder of sought-after fashion label, Girls Don’t Cry, and artist-in-residence for Coachella 2023, as the Artistic Director who will host the inaugural ComplexCon Hong Kong in 2024.
Previously the host of ComplexCon in Long Beach, California back in 2022, the 36-year-old designer Verdy is one of the global premier cultural tastemakers with his impressive background spearheading and working alongside prolific brands in streetwear and high fashion. He now brings his influential vision to ComplexCon in Hong Kong through advising on the curatorial direction of the festival, which includes selecting emerging and trending brands, creating unique experiences and official limited-edition merchandise.
Established in 2016, ComplexCon has been reputably known as the “Festival of International Pop Culture” for its expert-led curatorial approach, defining the culture of the moment, and being the launch pad of what’s coming next in fashion, art, music, and technology. By bringing a strong line-up of artists and brands to the city, ComplexCon Hong Kong eyes on the understanding and interests from regional consumers on what’s trending to expand its global presence and rejuvenate Hong Kong’s role and influence in promoting global pop culture.
With the strategic appointment of Verdy as Artistic Director, ComplexCon Hong Kong hopes to build upon Verdy’s profound understanding of Hong Kong’s fashion scene to create an unparalleled moment of international pop culture in this vibrant and distinct city.
Verdy first made his mark in Hong Kong back in 2019 by hosting a one-week “MEET VERDY Gallery” exhibition in collaboration with AllRightsReserved. The pop-up featured his most iconic creation, Vick, a rabbit-panda hybrid that references positivity and longevity, to showcase his artistic values and beliefs locally for the first time.
More recently in 2023, Verdy stepped into the sports world and designed a special edition jersey for Paris Saint-Germain F.C., which generated a wave of fanfare when Messi wore Verdy’s jersey onto the field. Recently, Verdy collaborated with the luxury apparel brand Kenzo and released a KENZO X VERDY capsule collection, which was endorsed by Hong Kong’s top-tier celebrities and trendsetters, attesting to his significant influence and contribution to the city’s fashion industry.
Globally, Verdy is well known for being the artist-in-residence for Coachella’s 2023 festival and overseeing BLACKPINK’s Born Pink World tour as the artistic director. As an iconic figure in the street fashion and the world of art, Verdy’s work extends beyond Japan to the rest of the world with its expansive portfolio of artists and brand collaborations. He has gained a strong global following for his fashion brands Girls Don’t Cry and Wasted Youth, which are commended for taking the lead in iconic events and partnerships while blending international popular and urban cultures.
“Since 2017, Verdy has been a part of the ComplexCon family. Making a return in 2024 and working as the first Artistic Director of ComplexCon Hong Kong, his presence and direction serve to pull in international, high-profile brands and artists from pop culture to Hong Kong with his personal influence in the industry. We are delighted to have him travel with us to Hong Kong and create this landmark pop culture festival for our fans in Asia,” released ComplexCon Hong Kong in a statement.
Verdy, Artistic Director of ComplexCon Hong Kong, values the opportunity to reprise his role as host of the festival. He said: “I am excited to be back in Hong Kong once again to offer my creativity to the first Complexcon in the city. My main focus is to bring the Asian community together and be the bridge between the old and the new generations.”
ComplexCon Hong Kong is scheduled to set the stage in Hong Kong from March 22 to 24 at AsiaWorld Expo, right before the globally-known Hong Kong Arts Month, to attract over 30,000 guests from around the world to witness the latest cultural phenomenon. Supported by Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund by the HKSAR Government (Mega ACE Fund), the festival hopes to leverage the unique geographical location of Hong Kong as an east-meets-west platform for cultural exchange between the Greater Bay Area and the rest of Asia and the world.
ComplexCon Hong Kong is also honored to have the Hong Kong Tourism Board as the event’s supporting organization, joining hands together to promote the first-ever edition of the event in Asia, which will produce an unprecedented coming together of the most influential artists and creative icons in Asia and its global community.
Ticketing of ComplexCon Hong Kong started since November 2023. All tickets from the early-bird phase are now sold out. ComplexCon Hong Kong will offer a variety of regular-priced ticket packages, priced from HKD 780 to HKD 4,780 to provide attendees with various exhibition experience including the concerts of ComplexCon Hong Kong. Ticket sales will be available online in late January.
Stay tuned for latest information at ComplexCon Hong Kong’s official website.
