Behind the Scenes of the Asia Fashion Collection at New York Fashion Week
Manhattan’s West Side was introduced to five up-and-coming Asian designers during the Asia Fashion Collection Fall Winter 2024 showcase at New York Fashion Week on February 10. Daylight Studio, located in NYC’s Hudson Yards, hosted the event sponsored by VANTAN — one of Japan’s largest and longest-running design institutes — and PARCO CO., LTD — a leader in cultural creativity. These fashion-forward initiatives are devoted to shining a white-hot spotlight on emerging talent across East Asia.
Following their wins at the Tokyo preliminaries, this year’s creatives traveled to the Big Apple to face the final stage of the AFC and make their global debut. AFC Judges included principals of the Asian fashion scene, like Women’s Wear Daily Japan Editor-in-Chief Kaname Murakami and Sixty Percent Co., LTD CEO and co-founder Taiga Manabe.
EnVi recaps the highlights of the Asian Fashion Collection Fall Winter 2024 runway.
Kiyoka Hase
The runway opened up with designer Kiyoka Hase — a third-year student at the Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo — who unveiled a collection titled “Non-Fiction.” The looks featured a surge of abstract silhouettes, new-age patterns, and unconventional styling of garments, such as a leather jacket worn as a skirt. Hase delivered apocalyptic elements of fiction to the New York Fashion Week runway, leaving us with a lingering warning, “Those who fight monsters must be careful not to become monsters themselves in the process.”
Runway photos courtesy of the Asia Fashion Collection
Miari Shigeta
Fellow Bunka Fashion College student Miari Shigeta joined the Asia Fashion Collection with a post-pandemic “Cycling Trail” lineup. Models sported helmets, cycling shoes, and avant-garde womenswear. Leather biking shorts, tube socks, and whimsical outerwear reimagined a waterside bike ride in 3D graphics.
According to show notes, the designer found inspiration in the longing to travel to free and open spaces. “After the coronavirus outbreak subsided, people started to ride trains again. Even though Miari Shigeta was now free to go to various places, it was painful to see crowded trains every ride. Shigeta […] imaged a girl riding a bicycle to the waterside without needing a [driving] license.”
Runway photos courtesy of the Asia Fashion Collection
Sun Below
Created by boxer-turned-designer Naito Oikawa, Sun Below reminisces Oikawa’s love for the sport. Boxing is reimagined into silk robes, belts, and shorts — all of the models adorned in hand wraps, headgear, or gloves to enhance the vision. The current Vantan Design Institute student produced eight menswear looks for the Asia Fashion Collection runway.
Runway photos courtesy of the Asia Fashion Collection
Re Rhee
Central Saint Martins’ students June Bok Rhee and Hyun Jung Joo joined forces to create the visionary brand RE RHEE. Titled “The Ripping Essence and Distorted Allure,” their Fall Winter 2024 collection finds musing in the infinite cycle of creating something out of nothing, and returning to nothing once the task is completed. The duo utilized fabrics that evoke emotion and honed in on the feelings that lurk behind the creative process. With leather, button-ups, and fur, Rhee and Joo delivered corporate chic ensembles that seem to perfectly embody this year’s biggest trends.
Runway photos courtesy of the Asia Fashion Collection
Yaxin Zone
“Transformation” takes on a new meaning with Taiwanese designer Yahsin Chung’s FW24 collection. Barefoot models strutted down the catwalk, showcasing Chung’s asymmetrical and pioneering collection. Neutrals, texture, and captivating silhouettes converged to create the looks unveiled at the Asia Fashion Collection show. As per show notes, “Transformation” is a follow-up of Yaxin Zone’s previous collection, “Solo Dance” and it embraces the idea that metamorphosis is a path to liberation.
Runway photos courtesy of the Asia Fashion Collection
The Asian Fashion Collection continues to provide a wider platform for East Asian designers, expanding their audience to global avenues like New York Fashion Week. The incubation project has hosted over 10 annual NYFW events, unrelenting its dedication to nurturing young Asian designers.
Want to learn about more Asian designers? Check out 6 Chinese fashion designers you should have on your radar here.
