ComplexCon Hong Kong: 35,000 Hypebeasts Spend $11M at Murakami, NewJeans, and More

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Located approximately 7,000 miles away from its origin in Long Beach, California, ComplexCon Hong Kong attracted more than 35,000 enthusiastic attendees, including sneaker aficionados, diehard fans of K-pop, and hypebeasts, to the AsiaWorld-Expo. These eager participants were all on a mission to secure exclusive items such as the Murakami x Casetify phone case, NewJeans T-shirt, and Clot x Adidas Gazelles.

At the second installment of this event, designers, brands, and high-ranking officials observed as it generated over $11 million in revenue over a span of three days. Each attendee spent an average of $320, marking a significant step beyond the initial year’s demonstration of feasibility and towards a sustainable business model. Attendees hailed from various countries including Hong Kong, mainland China, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.

At the bustling 150-brand ComplexMarketplace shopping event, I wandered from my jacket design booth to the intriguing setup of Daniel Arsham, who’s set to be the global artistic director for ComplexCon in 2025. Near his futuristic sculpture of a Moët & Chandon bottle, I spotted the NBA and the renowned artist himself. Later, during the first night of the ComplexMusic concert series, rapper Quavo signed his merchandise. A sea of NewJeans fans, known as “bunnies,” eagerly awaited limited-edition merchandise. Edison Chen, an actor, rapper, and designer, displayed a collection of brands he had curated under the name “Zone.” Lastly, Takashi Murakami immersed himself in a giant pool filled with his flower-patterned squishy balls. It was quite the experience!

During the ComplexCon dialogue sessions, fashion designer Yoon Ambush, renowned for his contributions to streetwear, along with Japanese trailblazer Fujiwara Hiroshi and other experts, shared insights and predictions about the current and upcoming landscape of fashion, art, and international trends.

At both ComplexCon’s Los Angeles and Las Vegas events, The Family Style Food Festival dished out delicious samples from some of the cities’ finest eateries, satisfying the appetites of the many attendees.

Following the Marketplace’s closure, the crowd moved over to AsiaWorld Arena, Hong Kong’s largest venue, for the ComplexLive concerts featuring Quavo and Metro Boomin in their China debut, along with NewJeans who announced this show would be their last one as they resolve issues with their label, ADOR from HYBE.

Stepping into the vibrant world of ComplexCon Hong Kong, I’m immersed in an explosion of Asian youth culture intertwined with the global streetwear scene. This festival is a magnet for me and my peers who can’t resist the allure of owning what we see on our social media feeds. Established in 2016, ComplexCon originated in L.A., blending style, sneakers, pop culture, music, art, food, and ideas under one roof. It offers exclusive releases from sought-after brands, immersive experiences, panel discussions, performances, and more. Back in 2024, ComplexCon moved to the dazzling city of Las Vegas, with Travis Scott as its creative director. His “Cactus Jack” universe took over, showcasing his brand, artists, and collaborations, making it an unforgettable experience for us all.

In 2019, Bonnie Chan-Woo, the CEO and founder of Complex China, as well as the organizer of ComplexCon Hong Kong, was presented with a chance to acquire the licensing rights for ComplexCon. This opportunity came at a time when rap music and street culture were gaining immense popularity among Gen Z in China, largely due to two hit reality shows, “The Rap of China” and “Rap Star.

Approximately 1.13 billion people belonging to Generation Z in Asia are tech-savvy, primarily relying on internet research and social media for product exploration and shopping. This significant demographic holds immense economic influence, with a collective spending power exceeding $140 billion. In China alone, this generation counts 233 million members, equating to 16.5% of the total population, and contributing 13% to overall household expenditure, according to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics.

As a passionate observer of global social media trends, I can’t help but be captivated by the staggering fact that over a billion Chinese internet users make China the world’s leading consumer of social media platforms, according to Meltwater, a renowned media monitoring firm.

Chan says ComplexCon’s audience is primarily using Weibo, TikTok and Little Red Book.

She mentions that all aspects – the marketplace, venue, and manufacturing processes – were significantly improved for ComplexCon Hong Kong in 2025, leading to a 30% increase in size. Previously, attendees might have been uncertain about the event. However, now it’s become highly competitive as brands scrutinize one another, striving to present the most innovative ideas, flawless execution, captivating designs, and top-notch hardware. Furthermore, she emphasizes the importance of the ‘software’, referring to how brands approach collaborations, announcements, and partnerships with celebrities and influencers. She notes that the unique experiences offered at this event cannot be found anywhere else – not even in a shopping mall.

In the year 2025, the NBA made a significant impact in the marketplace by resuming its presence in China, holding two preseason games between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns in Macau. This was the first such event since 2019. Adidas teamed up with Edison Chen’s Clot for another collaboration, while Jeff Staple unveiled 3D printed sneakers in partnership with Zellerfeld. Feng Chen Wang joined forces with Converse during this time. The Taiwanese fashion brand GOOPiMade drew the longest queues of the weekend within their enclosed space, restricting access to spectators.

According to Chan, these brands are significantly influencing global discussions among young audiences. He notes that despite Hong Kong’s small size, it serves as a powerful connector. Chan and his team carefully select the optimal blend of brands throughout the year, based on their understanding of each brand’s social impact, the energy they contribute to the community, and their presence in various shows or other platforms after a full year of interaction and exchange.

Lately, Arsham’s Roman-style statue of philanthropist Priscilla Chan has been popular, commissioned by her husband, Mark Zuckerberg. He was the one who came up with the idea for the ComplexCon Hotel merchandise store, which included a partnership with Rimowa and a temporary Carsham gas station. It’s likely that similar displays will be seen at ComplexCon in Las Vegas this fall.

For the initial time this year, Aaron Levant, a key executive at Complex, made an appearance at ComplexCon Hong Kong. In the month of February 2024, NTWRK, a platform for live-video shopping and marketplace, officially sealed a deal to purchase Complex. It was Levant, who along with Jamie Iovine and Gaston Dominguez-Letelier co-founded NTWRK in 2018, who collaborated with Marc Eckō, founder of Complex, to establish ComplexCon back in 2016.

Levant’s idea is “culture at its finest, ready to purchase.” Prior to ComplexCon Hong Kong, Complex unveiled a sold-out MLB and Takashi Murakami collaboration at the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs matches in Tokyo, ahead of time.

He remarks that children visit this place because it feels similar to their Instagram feeds in a real-life setting. For over ten years, Complex has been a well-known brand within the digital media sector of the business. We’ve collaborated with partners in Australia, Europe, and recently sealed a deal in the Middle East. This is our initial attempt at internationalizing the event, demonstrating its success and allowing us to transfer this format to new markets. He envisions the potential for ComplexCon to grow and reach mainland China, South Korea, Europe, and other regions.

In the United States, Levant indicates that Complex is broadening its horizons into brick-and-mortar retail outlets. The Complex Shop has already opened its doors in Los Angeles, with plans to debut soon in New York City and abroad. This expansion will include temporary shops showcasing works from notable artists like Billie Eilish and Blackpink.

ComplexCon returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center on Oct. 25 and 26.

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2025-04-25 00:25