<p>From established names to newer labels, this year’s selection offers a look at where Asian fashion is headed.</p>

<p>Asia's fashion scene has never been short on talent, and <a href="https://fashionasiahk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fashion Asia Hong Kong</a> is putting ten names in the spotlight this year. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the annual <a href="https://fashionasiahk.com/en/10-asian-designers-to-watch-exhibition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 Asian Designers to Watch</a> brings together labels from across the region, offering a closer look at the people and ideas emerging from its different fashion capitals.</p>
<p>This year's selection stretches from established names with international followings to younger labels only a few years into business. There's natural dyeing in Hong Kong, experimental menswear out of Shanghai, a fresh take on Filipino craft in Manila, and plenty more in between. Here are the ten designers Fashion Asia says to watch right now.</p>

<h2 class="header__title">Chén Sifān</h2>

<p>Through Chén Sifān, designer Sifan Chen works with shapes and pattern-making to explore a contemporary take on Eastern aesthetics. Material is just as important as silhouette: Chen works with rare hand-combed cashmere and collaborates with women artisans in China who bring generations of textile knowledge to the clothes. Chen studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York before completing his master's at Central Saint Martins, with experience at The Row and Derek Lam along the way. His graduate collection made the official London Fashion Week schedule, and he launched Chén Sifān at Shanghai Fashion Week in 2023.</p>

<p>Before Amy Winehouse wore one of her dresses on the cover of <em>Back to Black</em>, Disaya Sorakraikitikul was already developing a taste for fashion with a little drama. Her clothes lean feminine without becoming overly delicate by taking more elaborate ideas and making them easy enough to live in. The Thai designer trained at Central Saint Martins and later worked under John Galliano, influences that still show in DISAYA's romantic silhouettes and unexpected details. She launched Boudoir by Disaya in 2004 before growing the business into her namesake label.</p>

<h2 class="header__title">KINYAN LAM</h2>

<p>Natural dyeing sits at the center of Kinyan Lam's work, with color developed from plant-based sources and traditional processes that deliberately resist the uniformity of mass production.&nbsp;The Hong Kong designer founded his namesake label in 2023 after studying at the Hong Kong Design Institute and London College of Fashion. His interest in natural dyes eventually took him to Guizhou, where he works closely with Dong artisans and traditional cloth. Hand embroidery, knotted details, and buttons formed entirely from thread give the pieces an unmistakably handmade quality. Kinyan Lam was also named a semi-finalist for the 2026 LVMH Prize.</p>

<p>Korean tradition gets couture treatment at LEJE. Yangmo Je and Juhyeong Kang work between Seoul and Paris, bringing traditional Korean references into clothes shaped by deconstruction and asymmetry. The two designers know the world firsthand. Before founding LEJE in 2020, they worked in Paris at houses including Lanvin, Alaïa, and Balmain. Their experience shows in the construction, but LEJE isn't interested in simply reproducing Parisian couture codes as Korean craft provides another foundation for the clothes.</p>

<h2 class="header__title">Maligaya Clothing Co.</h2>

<p>Roko Arceo wants Filipino clothing worn instead of saved for special occasions. At Maligaya Clothing Co., repurposed linen, archival lace, and traditional textiles are worked into contemporary pieces meant to bring elements of Filipino craft into everyday wardrobes.&nbsp;Before launching his Manila-based label, Arceo worked as a stylist and creative director, including designing the costumes for the historical drama <em>Maria Clara at Ibarra</em>. It was there that he got an understanding of period clothing that inspires his collections. His <em>Maligayang Mundo</em> collection, shown at Bench Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025, made the point through colorful, contemporary silhouettes rather than straightforward reproductions of traditional dress.</p>

<p>Novel sits somewhere between a fashion studio and an artist's practice. Prince Padilla works entirely through custom and made-to-order clothing, giving him the freedom to spend more time on shape, texture, and construction than a conventional seasonal model usually allows. The British-Filipino designer studied both fine art and fashion at Manchester School of Art before eventually establishing Novel in Manila. His pieces often begin with recognizable silhouettes before being pulled apart through draping, gathering, and exaggerated volume. Padilla also works exclusively with textiles sourced in the Philippines, keeping material exploration closely tied to place.</p>

<p>NULLUS makes menswear for people who notice the small things. The Shanghai label keeps decoration to a minimum, placing more weight on line, fabric, and how a garment sits on the body.&nbsp;Yue Ming and Li Gao founded NULLUS in 2021, with Benjamin Tao later joining the team. Even the name signals the intention: <em>nullus</em> translates from Latin as "nothing." Rather than chasing minimalism for its own sake, the designers use empty space, concealed construction, and a softer mood to rethink masculinity. Unexpected openings and fluid shapes interrupt otherwise clean tailoring without overwhelming it. In 2024, NULLUS aligned its releases with Paris Fashion Week and began working with a showroom in the city, taking its approach to menswear onto a wider stage.</p>

<p>Sean Suen has been challenging the familiar proportions of menswear for more than a decade. Jackets, tailoring, and classic silhouettes become starting points and he often pushes them through stronger structure or more conceptual shapes.&nbsp;Suen came into fashion with a background in classical art and graphic design before establishing SEAN SUEN in Beijing in 2012. International attention followed quickly. In 2016, he became the first China-based designer to join the official Paris Men's Fashion Week schedule. Seventeen Paris collections later, the brand has developed a reputation for sharp, unpredictable menswear, backed by an interest in how clothing can change the wearer's sense of confidence.</p>

<h2 class="header__title">Tigerstrolling</h2>

<p>The first thing to know about Tigerstrolling is that, yes, both designers really are named Tiger Chung. The second is that the coincidence fits a label that enjoys a joke.&nbsp;Founded in Hong Kong in 2025, Tigerstrolling brings an irreverent streak to highly constructed fashion. Deconstructed tailoring and exaggerated proportions sit alongside repurposed materials, with everyday references turned into something far more theatrical. Even the name has two readings: "Tiger Strolling" and "Tigers Trolling." Before starting the label, the pair had already built an impressive competition record, including wins at the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest and the 2024 Redress Design Award.</p>

<p>Xiaolin Song describes WMWM as "cold-toned romanticism," which gets surprisingly close to the mood of her clothes. Softer fabrics and muted color soften the tailoring to create womenswear that feels composed.&nbsp;Song founded WMWM in Shanghai in 2015 after graduating from London College of Fashion. Instead of emphasizing traditional feminine curves, she often borrows the directness of menswear through sharper cuts and boyish proportions. Asymmetric draping and layered knitwear loosen that structure just enough, while black and white remain recurring anchors. Over the past decade, WMWM has appeared at London Fashion Week and Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week.</p>

Meet Fashion Asia Hong Kong's 10 Asian Designers to Watch 2026

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