After only five years since being founded by the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan, Taipei Fashion Week has, without a doubt, cemented itself as one of Asia's most influential fashion weeks.
New York, NY – After only five years since being founded by the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan, Taipei Fashion Week has, without a doubt, cemented itself as one of Asia’s most influential fashion weeks. One that is quickly on its way to being recognized as one of the most important ones in the world. An aspect that makes Taipei Fashion Week unique is the collaboration between designers and the Ministry of Culture, which is focused on offering an equal platform to both established and up-and-coming designers from all over the multi-island territory of Taiwan. This partnership has allowed for an explosion of creativity to be displayed on the runway every season, showcasing not only the talent of the designers but also the beauty of Taipei and Taiwan and the many innovations its people have spearheaded in the world of fashion.
For this season, Fall-Winter 2022, Taipei Fashion Week continued its focus on the importance of functionality and sustainability and the impact of fashion on our planet. Additionally, this season, Taipei Fashion Week pushed even further, with the ten designers presenting collections inspired by diversity, the transboundary movement of fashion across borders, and the humanities, seeking inspiration in the arts, history, philosophy, and religion, language, and literature. While conveying the designers’ interpretation of these objectives, each collection presented during this Taipei Fashion Week also reminded us of the future and the coexistence of fashion and the virtual world.
The collections were grouped under three subjects: Fashion’s Future, Sustainability, and Artistic Craft.
#DAMUR, which was first launched in Berlin in 2015 by fashion designer Damur (Shih-Shun) Huang, has always aimed to rewrite fashion rules as we know them while also touching upon controversial issues affecting our society. For Fall-Winter 2022, the brand found inspiration in subjects that embody the rapid changing of rules: digital consumption, the cross-generational combination of virtual reality experiences, Taipei nightlife, and the latest frenzy in the world of art, NFTs. The collection further showcases the brand’s goals of being innovative, bold, and different while remaining functional and practical, emphasizing oversized silhouettes and cutouts throughout each look.
NFTs were a major source of inspiration during this TFW FW 2022, and it is not surprising that Claudia Wang also found inspiration in NFTs for her latest collection. Time and time again, the designer has demonstrated great creative talent in combining 3D virtual technology, patterns, and colors to achieve astonishing results. For this latest collection, the designer tapped on the tranquil beauty of landscape sceneries and graffiti’s chaotic and bold beauty to create one-of-a-kind prints composed of mesmerizing colors. The sportswear styles highlight silhouettes that are retro-classic with a touch of avant-garde.
With each of its collections, Seivson continues to explore the fate of our future and the balance/unbalance of life as we know it. For Fall-Winter 2022, the brand explores the subject of artificial intelligence, a topic that both excites us and petrifies us as a human race. Will artificial intelligence helps us to expand our horizons, or will it actually suppress our human nature? The results of this collection are futuristic designs highlighting functional details such as zippers, pockets, and multi-layering. Some of the garments also feature Seivson’s signature print: repetitive images of lovers in the intimate act of sex.
oqLiq, by designer duo Orbit Lin and Chi Houng, is at the forefront of Taiwan’s fashion world and the concept of functional, sustainable fashion. The brand, which enjoys worldwide recognition, such as in New York Fashion Week, is known for its use of innovative fabrics when crafting its garments. For the Fall-Winter 2022 collection, oqLiq implemented the use of lightweight fabrics and materials made from oyster shells and recycled ocean waste, minimizing the necessity for stitching with a high-pressure sealing process. The designs are elegant, modern, and polished, allowing for practical use across multiple settings.
Designers Henry Lee and Naomi Zhao of PROJECTbyH, first met in New York City while studying Fashion Design at Parsons School of Design. With PROJECTbyH and from their studio in Taiwan, the designers aim to redefine modern tailoring by combining their far eastern heritage and western educational backgrounds in the craftsmanship of their garments. With each collection, the designer duo only uses natural and decomposable materials, implementing the expertise of seasoned artisans. For Fall-Winter 2022, the designers looked back at previous designs, aiming to reinterpret them by upcycling leftover natural fabrics and materials. The result is a collection that establishes a new structure of ethical craftsmanship through the manufacturing of complex patchwork pieces.
Liyu Tsai has always placed careful interest in the selection of high-quality fabrics for the manufacturing of her designs. For Fall-Winter 2022, the designer used recycled materials in support of circular fashion. The result is a diverse, elegant, and sophisticated collection that also showcases original prints of birds and flowers.
For Fall-Winter 2022, Designer Jean Hsia of AISH collaborated with weaving professional Mrs. Lu to combine expertly woven knits with aboriginal embroidery and hand-stitching techniques. The result is a collection that holds true to Jean Hsia’s love for artistry and AISH’s mission to create designs unique in detail and creativity. The collection features spliced and draped looks, illustrating the balance between traditional tailoring and handmade allure.
Since being founded in 2001 by designer Yi-Liang Pan, Gioia Pan has been recognized for the imaginative combination of materials in manufacturing garments. For Fall-Winter 2022, the brand highlights classic styles derived from traditional tribal wear, which feature retro-futuristic prints of our Universe. Layering techniques heighten the elegant beauty of the designs.
For Fall-Winter 2022, INF drew inspiration from the illustrations of picture books, resulting in a collection that features a surprising, frenzied outburst of colors amongst its many black pieces. The collection is unisex, highlighting the reshaping of traditional silhouettes into loose and comfortable designs without sacrificing style.
To honor the identity, work, and commitment of the women who work for Yentity, designer Yen chose to collaborate with female artisans to create and manufacture the brand’s Fall-Winter 2022 collection, appropriately titled “The Power of Women.” The collection features a unique selection of sophisticated, hand-weaved, and hand-knitted oversized garments, from jackets to soft dresses. – GM
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