There were few surprises on stage at the Hong Kong Film Awards, where martial arts saga The Grandmaster won a record 12 prizes on Sunday, including Best Film.

The real competition was probably on the red carpet. Zhang Ziyi, who won Best Actress for The Grandmaster and had the least to prove sartorially, wore a safe Giorgio Armani Prive piece, all buttoned up. But several other stars, such as Sammi Cheng and Carina Lau, took more risks.

Peek-a-boo

1. Hands down (or should it be pants down?), actress Carina Lau wins the "look at me" contest. It takes guts to walk out of your door when half your Ralph & Russo gown is missing. But there is a thin line between traffic-stopping and car wreck and Lau, trying too hard to do a Lady Gaga, falls on the wrong side of it.

2. Isabella Leong evokes mediaeval romance in an ornate, gossamer Valentino.

Sleek

1. Sammi Cheng is the queen of minimalist chic. At the Golden Horse Awards last year, she stood out in a simple, caped trouser suit. Here, she tops off a black Roberto Cavalli (with a golden snake on her back) with a sharp bob.

2. Thai actress Poyd is in a lovely dress, except it looks identical to what Lupita Nyong'o wore to the Golden Globes. And Nyong'o wore it so spectacularly, she is still stealing the thunder from Poyd, alas.

Prints
1. Cherry Ngan lights up the red carpet in a cheery Alice & Olivia gown.

2. Tang Wei's pick of a dusky, autumnal Escada feels all wrong for spring, and all wrong for her age too.

Volume
1. It is a wonder Angelababy managed to make it to the show, without breaking under the weight of her massive Zuhair Murad dress.

2. Chinese model Du Juan, pairing a textured top with a voluminous skirt and keeping her hands in her pockets, is all cool nonchalance.

Firecracker red

1. Chinese actor Lin Gengxin, wearing too much red, looks like a human firecracker.

2. Nick Cheung does it better, toning down red with black and white.