As one of the most influential fundraising events in town within the art and design sector, this gala event benefitted the Ambassadors of Design and their commitment to supporting the creative industry and fostering a new generation of young designers. In particular, proceeds raised would contribute to seed funding for the grants that Design Trust will be awarding for the coming years. These grants include two which were awarded to their inaugural grantees, Fan Ling, as the M+ / Design Trust Research Fellow 2014-2015 and cultural grant recipient MAP Office for their ‘Hong Kong is Land’ project in response to a call from MoMA, New York.

The spectacular event garnered the generous support from returning title sponsor, OMEGA, who also donated the highly coveted special Speedmaster ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ timepiece to the charity auction. This edition of the Speedmaster redefines the iconic design of the Moonwatch that accompanied astronauts to the moon on all six lunar missions. This dramatic black chronograph has a case crafted from a single ceramic block – an industry first. Making it a must have for watch enthusiasts who wish to combine the impressive legacy of a remarkable chronograph with the best series-produced mechanical watch movement in the world. In October, it was awarded the prestigious Revival Watch prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève 2014, which is regarded as “the watchmaking Oscars". The striking timepiece ultimately raised an additional HKD 150,000 for the Design Trust following bidding among the guests.

In its sixth successful edition, the Ambassadors’ Ball was conceived based on the theme “Sustaining Time”. The Ball is highlighted by a unique tradition of which a renowned designer is invited each year to act as creative director. This year internationally acclaimed designer, Joyce Wang, was appointed. Using wood as a focal material, Joyce created an impressive 3.6 meter tall tapering tunnel entrance to the event, with recycled wooden panels. Walking though this tunnel evoked the feeling of travelling down the stem of an hourglass, marking the passage of time and the emergence into a future of limitless possibilities.