Carrie Hare's designs from her capsule collection of autumn and winter apparel.

"Print was my strength and what I needed was a canvas," she says. "I think that many designers choose T-shirts to start, but I wanted something more niche. Legwear is also something that I truly love to wear."

Game on for designers

Fired up by clay

Hare's first collection under the label R.I. by Carrie was dubbed Accidental Collage and unveiled in late 2011. Within six months, more than 10 outlets snapped up her designs.

They loved the slimming lines and well-engineered silhouettes, balanced by stylized narratives. Secret Oriental gardens, diamonds in the jungle and the tensions between geisha and qilin were all fair game, frolicking upon well-heeled women's gams.

Hare initially tested her designs at London's weekend market to see how they would be received. It was a relatively safe way of showcasing her work and one of the many reasons she found the city so inspiring.

"There are a lot of brands working on commercial, ready-to-wear designs in London but the city also had a scene for emerging designer brands," Hare says.

"The latter is rather weak in Hong Kong, where speed and efficiency rule. In London, designers take time to develop concepts and conduct in-depth research for fabrics, print ideas and silhouettes.

"There is more freedom for crossover projects and we are encouraged to find unusual ways of presenting fashion, such as through videos and installations. And the general public also has a greater appreciation for original ideas."

Last year, she followed with a capsule fall/winter collection of women's apparel featuring her signature bold prints.

Ethereal yet dominated by angular hemlines, the dresses and tunics are reminiscent of origami, with pink, blue and purple metallic glints.