The Asian region has always been a significantly prominent force in the fashion industry, making up a large portion of consumers and remaining an extremely fashion-forward continent. Asian designers are now more prominent than ever before, offering their diverse backgrounds and innovative creative DNAs to present their art. While renowned Asian designers like Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo and Vera Wang have been paving the way for decades, it is also worth noting that Asian celebrity ambassadors are highly covetable for prominent fashion houses, which accelerates the status and influence of Asians in the industry.
Coming from rich heritage, diverse backgrounds and exceptional creativity, these Asian designers are shaping and revolutionising modern fashion. From the legendary vision of Yoji Yamamoto to Robert Wun’s spectacular advant garde couture, LUXUO presents a list of the most prominent Asian designers of today.
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Yohji Yamamoto
One cannot discuss prominent Asian designers without mentioning Yohji Yamamoto. The iconic Japanese designer has been a significantly influential figure in fashion since his arrival in Paris in the early 80s. Yamamoto alongside Comme Des Garçons’ founder Rei Kawabuko, had started a new movement of the unfinished look, creating modernity with unconventional silhouettes and deviating from what the fashion industry at the time deemed as “luxury elegance”. The pair were significant forces in contemporary fashion at a time where clean lines and flattering fits were the norm.
Yamamoto nailed the art of master tailoring, but used it non-uniformity and fluidity in his works— bias cuts were precise, hold and rips were thoughtfully placed and his flair was evident in unique shapes and textures.
Yamamoto often worked with minimal colours, primarily using his mastery of asymmetry and exaggerated textures with dramatic drapes and folds to attention to movement. His work was and still remains exceptionally original and influential in the realm of fashion. His namesake brand Yohji Yamamoto and Y’s have flourished over 30 years of experience and has earned the designer worldwide success, working with high-end department stores like Dover Street Market and collaborations with Adidas, Hermès and Mikimoto amongst others.
Rei Kawabuko
Rei Kawabuko is one of the most influential designers of all time, Comme des Garçons creative director, co-founder of Dover Street Market and recognised icon of modernity in fashion. Kawabuko never had any formal training in design, purely operating on her raw creativity which had allowed her to gain worldwide recognition for her advant garde designs. Her early work in the late 60s with Comme des Garçons was so successful with Japanese consumers, the designer had incorporated it as a result. However her Paris debut in 1981 was met with disdain, due to a lack of adherence to the western image of high fashion, despite the setback, the designer maintained her creative DNA which remains unchanged to this day.
Kawabuko is most well-known for being unconventional, Her design philosophy was nothing short of revolutionary, questioning and pushing the boundaries of the essence of fashion. Kawakubo’s advant garde designs challenged traditional norms, experimenting with dramatic asymmetry, oversized silhouettes, and textured deconstructed forms. The visionary’s dedication to her innovative work has been cited by some of fashion most iconic figures as inspiration, including the likes of: Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester and Helmut Lang. Kawakubo’s contribution to fashion and strong influence is undeniable, the designer will most definitely remain as one of the most prominent fashion figures of all time.
Robert Wun
Robert Wun is a Hong Kong-born, London-based designer that is known for his extraordinary haute couture displays and one of the most prominent names on the fashion scene, especially in the last two years. Wun launched his label in 2014, after getting discovered by Joyce Boutique from his graduation collection from his time at London College of Fashion. The designer first established his brand by making custom orders with advant garde takes on unique silhouettes and inspiration he drew from movies and nature.
In 2023, with the support of Bruno Pavlovsky at Chanel, the brand made its debut collection in Paris. Wun made history as the first designer from Hong Kong to join the haute couture calendar as a guest member of The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. The collection explored the theme of embracing fear and its transformation into works of art, displaying spectacular craftsmanship in his signature exaggerated shapes, pleats, dazzling fabrics and intricate detailing. The collection gave the fashion world, the now-viral “umbrella” and “wine-stained” looks.
This was only the start of his famed artistry, he later dressed Hollywood A-listers Beyoncé, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga amongst many others. More recently, his 2024 Paris Haute Couture show went viral for its stunning show-stoppers and his impeccable mastery of the art of storytelling through fashion.
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Simone Rocha
The Irish-Chinese designer is one of the most influential designers of this era. She has been a significant driving force behind the ultra-popular “coquette-core” trend, characterised by bow motifs, puffy sleeves, pearls and hyper-femininity. Simone Rocha graduated from Central Saint Martins and debuted at London Fashion Week in 2010 to become a significant force in the fashion world with four stand-alone stores and working with the most renowned stockists like Harrods, Bergdorf Goodman, 10 Corso Como and Dover Street market amongst many others.
Her well-known and distinct use of bows, maximalist pearl and rhinestone embellishments and her edgy approach to femininity is highly treasured in the industry — having worked with prominent brands like Moncler, Crocs, H&M and most recently a guest designer at Jean Paul Gaultier. Her detailed designs portray her interpretation of subversive femininity as a modern woman as seen in her ballet flat trainers and her large bow-collared shirts. By using experimental fabrics, voluminous silhouettes and a nuanced colour palette, her creative CNA offers an edgier, more empowering aesthetic while maintaining femininity, making her a staple in the fashion modern world.
Peter Do
Vietnamese-born designer Peter Do is a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate, an LVMH Graduate Prize winner, a former Phoebe Philio protégé at Celine, a brand owner and the creative director of Helmut Lang. The designer boasts a cult following and is well-known with his expertise in immaculate clean tailoring with architectural inspirations and textural flair. Do started his name sake label in 2018, which later made it on to New York Fashion Week runways in 2021. His early work has highly inspired by the influences of Phoebe Philo, Helmut Lang and Maison Margiela, hence, his appointment at Helmut Lang in in 2023 was exciting yet unsurprising.
His clean-cut innovative approach is well detailed in his interview with Culted, “Peter Do does not do minimalism, a word deemed reductive to the lengthy process it takes to create its garments. Peter Do does essentialism. Subtle but very much there, the difference lies within the concept: while minimalism looks to reduce as much as possible, essentialism focuses on the core of the idea, or rather, the essence.”
His work is functional and simple, yet extremely stylish without the need of overtly extravagant details, grounding his work with sharp tailoring, construction and textile to create genderless garments for the contemporary individual. The talented designer is known to stay out of the limelight , allowing his art to speak for itself is undeniable evidence of his influence and talent.
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Gaurav Gupta
Indian designer Gaurav Gupta is best known for his exuberant haute couture pieces, regularly worn by A-listers like Beyoncè, Cardi B and Deepika Padukone on the most prestigious red carpet events. His namesake label was founded in 2004 specialising in bridal gowns and has since grown exponentially, becoming one of the most established couture labels of the 2020s. He was also the third Indian designer in history to present at the iconic Paris Haute Couture week in 2023.
His signature merging of indigenous Indian construction and embellishment techniques with elements of western influences results in exceptional sculptural masterpieces that are extravagant yet surreal and whimsical. In addition to his knack for artful couture creations, the designer is known to be vocal with diversity and inclusivity movements in India, advocating for “blending culture and art forms”. Gupta has uncompromising dedication to his roots, regularly paying homage to his Indian heritage and the techniques originating from the country.
Prabal Gurung
Nepalese-American designer Prabal Gurung is no stranger to the fashion world. His namesake label was established back in 2009, after graduating from the prestigious Parsons School of Design and his internship under Donna Karen. His vibrant creative DNA has remained, specialising in formal evening wear in eye-catching colours and seamless feminine silhouettes. The visionary’s interpretation of modern fashion and his uncompromising focus on quality and innovation has earned him a spot amongst some of the most influential Asian designers.
His work has been worn on the likes of the world’s leading ladies like Michelle Obama, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and a frequent red carpet ensemble for prominent events like the MET Gala. The talented designer has also highlighted the importance of inclusivity in the industry, by highlighting Nepalese heritage in collections and featuring models from diverse backgrounds. Most notability, the establishment of the Shikshya Foundation Nepal which focuses on providing childhood education.
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