Taipei Fashion Week is part of a set of sustainability initiatives taking place during Fashion Week events held in cities across the world.
Taipei, Taiwan – With the COVID-19 vaccines now being distributed worldwide, it is a shared hope that the world will soon return to normal. In a time when we are heavily focused on this pandemic, other issues affecting us and our planet might at times take a backseat. However, those critical issues require our combined and continued attention, for they will affect us for generations to come. An example of this is climate change, and the part humans have played in it.
The world of fashion is not free from blame. Fast fashion has been shown to cause immense damage to our planet and our environment. It is not only because of the amount of C02 produced as a byproduct of the manufacturing and shipment of millions of tons of garments worldwide, but also the number of clothes ending up in landfills. In the past few years, a generation of conscious designers focusing on sustainability and the environment’s protection has emerged. This month, for the Autumn-Winter 2021 season, Taipei Fashion Week has made a triumphant return with its first one-day joint show centered around sustainability: Taipei Sustainable Collections.
Held on March 11th at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, the show highlighted six brands with existing sustainable practices. Breaking away from the digital presentations that have become the norm during the pandemic, the show was held in person (Taiwan has been one of the few countries that have dodged the catastrophic events of Covid-19), bringing back memories of the thrilling experiences and creative platforms offered by Fashion Week events across the world. The six participating brands were #DAMUR, JUST IN XX, Claudia Wang, DYCTEAM, WEAVISM, and oqLiq, one of our favorite brands to walk the runway during New York Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2020.
While many Western brands tend to go for a more bohemian fashion style when creating sustainable pieces or collections, Asian designers continue to push the limits of creativity and innovation. The end result is collections that are not only contemporary in style, but border on the futuristic, breaking away from their Western counterparts’ monotonous, earthy looks.
#DAMUR
#DAMUR first launched in Berlin in 2015 under the creative eye of fashion designer Damur (Shih-Shun) Huang. The designer describes his brand as “naughty but elegant,” influenced by the avant-garde and aiming to create an intriguing and exciting story every season.
For Autumn-Winter 2021, #DAMUR has tapped into Taiwan’s latest lamination technology and the use of metallic membranes. The collection is daring and powerful, featuring metallic looks, dark earth tones, and soothing hues of teal and pink.
JUST IN XX
JUST IN XX has implemented the use of various innovative fabrics which have been repurposed from plastic bottles and industrial wastes. The well-thought-out collection (which showcases Taiwanese craftsmanship through crocheting and laser-cutting fabric scraps for the brand’s Taiwan Olympic uniform) completes a consumer’s wardrobe, offering from track-suits to trench coats and suits. The collection is modern and posh. Red and blue dominate the color palette.
JUST IN XX is an award-winning brand inspired by the ever-changing relationship between East and Western cultures. The brand taps on the concepts of what is traditional or contemporary and the foreign influences within a specific society.
Claudia Wang
For her collection, Claudia Wang creatively combined patterns and colors for an eye-popping, pleasantly psychedelic result. The designer implemented her customary use of 3D virtual technology to help minimize waste. The eco-friendly collection showcases pieces made from recycled nylon, biodegradable fabrics, and fish scale yarn. The collection is alluring, vibrating a spirit of youth and fun.
DYCTEAM
DYCTEAM is a unisex brand focused on elevating the style of daily wear. The brand pays attention to the small details of a garment to enhance functionality; each item is centered around its simple uniqueness.
During the event, DYCTEAM showcased a collection that executes the use of eco-friendly processed natural cotton, reusable three-layered nylon, down alternatives, recycled materials, and biodegradable insulation layers. The collection is urban in style while remaining sophisticated and luxurious.
WEAVISM
WEAVISM is a brand focused on building character through its garments. A character born from the development of a story that speaks of the dynamics of our daily lives but is influenced by the pragmatism of streetwear.
For their A/W 2021 collection, WEAVISM expertly blends tradition with modern, urban styles. They have implemented woven functional fabrics made out of unconventional natural materials such as beeswax and banana leaves. The collection’s color palette is heavily influenced by nature and the brand’s inspiration of clothes merging with the earth after being buried in the soil.
oqLiq
oqLiq aims to create a new fashion attitude in Taiwan, and with this new collection, oqLiq continues its focus on technical design, which implements the application of new tech materials, urban wear functionality, and traditional forms of tailoring. Leather made by dam sediment, and multifunctional materials made from oyster shell powder mixed with plastic pellets created from recycled PET bottles, are some of the innovative fabrics used throughout this Autumn-Winter 2021 collection.
Taipei Fashion Week is part of a set of sustainability initiatives taking place during Fashion Week events held in cities across the world. It is a platform for rising designers who understand the importance of protecting the environment and the effects the industry of fashion has on it.
Following the Taipei Sustainable Collections, Taipei Fashion Week continues through March 15th with 14 physical runway shows.
For the latest updates, scheduling information, and events, follow the groundbreaking show via the official Homepage and social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. – GM
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