FOUNDER

Prof. Karen Chan, JP, is the Executive Director of the market-leading lifestyle home appliance, furniture, cabinetry, and homeware brand—German Pool Group and German Pool O2O Limited. She is also the Founder and Creative Director of SPARKLE COLLECTION / SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN, a modern glamorous designer brand specializing in cultural and creative fashion that blends Eastern and Western aesthetics. After studying in the US and Canada for over a decade, Karen returned to Hong Kong to take up the role of Executive Director and manage her family business. She successfully transformed and advanced the brand to a whole new dimension, establishing German Pool as a market-leading and household name across Hong Kong.

Leveraging her extensive marketing experience, Karen has led the company to expand into the Mainland China market, establishing a presence across various provinces and cities. She is fully responsible for the overall business development and operations of the group’s three major brands: German Pool, SPARKLE COLLECTION / SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN, and Happy Kitchen Café & Bar. Her purview includes corporate communications, brand building, product promotion, event planning, and international/local media and public relations strategies, which have substantially enhanced the Group’s market influence.

Founding SPARKLE COLLECTION & SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN

Karen officially founded SPARKLE COLLECTION / SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN in 2016. Under her leadership, the brand has remained dedicated to its core philosophy of "Blending East and West," "Cultural Heritage," and "Revitalizing Tradition." Committed to reviving the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the traditional Chinese cheongsam, Karen specially invited Master Feng You-cai—a Haipai Qipao master with over 60 years of experience and a designated bearer of Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage—to serve as the brand advisor. While preserving traditional Oriental craftsmanship, the brand infuses Western elements, utilizing artistic and iconic HK elements, HK intangible cultural heritage, and Hong Kong sentiments as themes. This approach creates a young, vibrant, and fun "HK-style New Chinese Style," transforming traditional attire into wearable and youthful national-wave "Modern Cheongsams" and Tang jackets. This allows women of all body types and ages to dress appropriately for any occasion, completely rewriting the public's perception of traditional Chinese dress.

As the first Hong Kong cultural and creative modern cheongsam brand to win the prestigious "Hong Kong Top Brand" award, SPARKLE COLLECTION / SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN has garnered numerous accolades over the years. It is not only the first Hong Kong modern cheongsam brand to win the "Best Fashion Designer Award" at Milan Fashion Week, but has also received multiple prestigious cultural and fashion accolades, including the "Best Cultural & Creative Award," "Brand Design Award," "Excellence in Leading Fashion and Cultural Enterprise," "Art & Culture Annual Award," "Outstanding Fashion Cultural & Creative Apparel Brand," and "Brand of the Year Award."

Serving as the Fashion Show Director, Karen has been invited to participate in Asia's premier fashion event—CENTRESTAGE (Hong Kong Fashion Week) for eight consecutive years. She has also been invited to showcase her work at over 35 international fashion weeks and exhibitions worldwide, including Milan, Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Bangkok, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Macau, as well as the Denim PV sustainable fashion show in Berlin, the HK Soho Fashion Show, and the Haw Par Mansion Fashion Show. Through these global tours, she proudly promotes Hong Kong-originated "Modern Cheongsams" and national-wave culture to the international stage!

Furthermore, SPARKLE COLLECTION / SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN is the first Hong Kong fashion brand privileged to collaborate with major prominent museums, including the Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Office, Sam Tung Uk Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, and Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum. By combining Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage items, art, and culture with "Modern Cheongsams," the brand showcases a unique and profound cultural foundation.

Active Participation in Public Service

Karen spares no effort in public service, passionately promoting manufacturing industries and vocational education. In 2017, she founded the Hong Kong O2O E-Commerce Federation and was elected as its Founding Chairman. She also holds numerous public offices, serving as a Member of the Museum Advisory Committee under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the HKSAR Government; Council Member of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) and Chairman of its Arts Promotion Committee; Deputy Chairman of the General Committee of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI); Chairman of the Hong Kong Quality Mark Council (Q-Mark); Member of the Human Resources Planning Commission of the HKSAR Government; President of the Hong Kong Girl Guides Southern District Association; and a Member of the Board of Governors of THEi, among others. 

To pass the torch of intangible cultural heritage to future generations, Karen established the SPARKLE Charity Foundation (an NGO) and the "NICS Young Designers Scholarship Program." Dedicated to promoting local Hong Kong art, design, and culture, the foundation has partnered with the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) for seven consecutive years to host its flagship annual project—the "Next in Chinese Style - Young Designer Challenge." This competition invites the new generation of young designers to join the ranks of cheongsam and Tang suit design. Renowned figures from politics and business, cross-disciplinary designers, and professionals are widely invited to serve on the judging panel, uniting the old, middle-aged, and young generations to promote the classic revival of cheongsams and Tang suits, revitalizing this highly iconic attire through Western modernity and trendy fashion elements.

Academic & Training Background

Personal Achievements & Awards