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Tag: designers

  • Melbourne Fashion Week Schedules 100 Events Across City Retail Precincts

    Melbourne Fashion Week Schedules 100 Events Across City Retail Precincts

    Melbourne Fashion Week will show more than 600 looks across seven runways next month as the annual municipal event rolls out over 100 commercial and cultural programs.

    The schedule features more than 300 designers and retailers occupying city streets, public venues, and commercial precincts under the theme Wear the Moment.

    Runways and retail capsules

    Organisers split the program across ticketed runway presentations, free public events, and retail activations. Participating Australian labels include Bianca Spender, Búl, Clea, Elk the Label, Perple, and Sean Rentero, alongside First Nations brands Clothing The Gaps, Gammin Threads, Grace Lillian Lee, and Ngali.

    Independent events woven into the lineup include a fashion dining session at Pastuso, an Amnesty International runway show, and a textile sustainability swap organized with the United Nations Association of Australia. A series of Fashion Capsules will run separately from September 28 to October 25, staging installations from over 30 local designers across five public sites.

    Melbourne doesn’t just follow the fashion trends; we create them. For a week, Melbourne becomes a runway.

    Commercial exposure and independent labels

    Municipal fashion programs in the Asia-Pacific region increasingly serve as direct-to-consumer sales engines rather than strictly trade-buyer shows. Melbourne’s decentralized model pushes foot traffic directly into central business district retail hubs, supporting domestic labels that rely on local brand engagement rather than wholesale department store orders.

    The mix of established commercial brands and independent micro-labels reflects the realities of the Australian apparel market. Rising operating overheads and tight consumer discretionary spending have pressured mid-tier retail networks, making high-visibility municipal stages critical for independent designers seeking consumer conversion without heavy marketing budgets.

    Industry dialogues and rollout dates

    Business discussions during the week will focus on commercial scaling and demographic representation. The Collarts-presented M/FW Conversations series, moderated by journalist Virginia Trioli, will cover the logistics of growing an apparel business alongside sessions addressing the representation of women over 50 in fashion retail.

    Melbourne Fashion Week begins its full calendar next month following the launch of the Fashion Capsules installations on September 28.

  • China Luxury Label Icicle Hires Former Gucci Head Sabato De Sarno

    China Luxury Label Icicle Hires Former Gucci Head Sabato De Sarno

    China’s Icicle hired former Gucci creative director Sabato De Sarno on Monday to lead its design operations across ready-to-wear, accessories and eyewear.

    His debut collection for the Shanghai-based fashion house will arrive for the autumn/winter 2027-2028 season.

    The Kering connection and design scope

    De Sarno takes direct control of creative direction for both women’s and men’s lines. The Italian designer previously ran design at Gucci, the flagship label of French luxury group Kering.

    The appointment deepens ties between the two businesses. Kering took a minority stake in Icicle in April 2026, giving the Chinese brand financial backing and direct access to European luxury executive networks.

    Chinese brands buying European prestige

    Chinese fashion groups are increasingly hiring established European designers to push their brands upmarket and expand outside mainland China. Icicle built its domestic business on high-end natural fabrics and understated cuts, but matching European heritage houses requires international design pedigree.

    The approach carries clear execution risks. Integrating European creative directors into Chinese corporate structures has produced mixed commercial returns, requiring labels to balance Western aesthetic direction with a core domestic customer base that values different proportions and styling.

    Precedents across the domestic sector

    Down-jacket specialist Bosideng followed the same playbook in 2025 when it hired British designer Kim Jones to lead its luxury line, Areal. French luxury group Hermes took a similar path with Shang Xia, which hired London-based designer Yang Li in 2021.

    Icicle is now preparing its production pipeline and marketing rollout ahead of De Sarno’s first autumn/winter 2027-2028 show.

  • Ten Australian Fashion Designers Head to Hong Kong for Centre Stage

    Ten Australian Fashion Designers Head to Hong Kong for Centre Stage

    Ten Australian fashion designers will travel to Hong Kong this September to present their collections at the Centre Stage trade fair. The trade mission aims to connect independent labels directly with regional department store buyers, boutique owners, and commercial distributors across North and Southeast Asia.

    Organised by the Australian Fashion Council under its Global Gateways programme, the delegation includes Gary Bigeni, Buluuy Mirrii, Van Brussel, Asiyam, Briar Will, Mos the Label, Niamh Galea, Permanent Vacation, Viceta Wang, and West 14th. The show runs inside a dedicated pavilion at the event, alongside an industry reception hosted by Australia’s consul-general in Hong Kong, Gareth Williams.

    Targeting Asian Wholesale Accounts

    Canberra is funding the initiative through the Trade Diversification Network’s Accessing New Markets Initiative. The programme helps mid-tier apparel companies reduce their exposure to sluggish domestic consumer spending by establishing wholesale accounts in higher-growth Asian markets.

    Austrade trade diversification taskforce general manager Jay Meek pointed to previous cohort transitions, including designer labels securing follow-on pop-up retail spaces in Tokyo, as the benchmark for measuring commercial returns from the Hong Kong trade floor.

    The Regional Buying Circuit

    Hong Kong serves as an entry hub for global labels testing appetite across Greater China and regional luxury stockists before committing to local retail infrastructure. For Asian multibrand retailers and luxury department stores, bringing in niche Australian labels provides exclusive inventory differentiation against dominant European luxury houses.

    The 10 labels will meet buyers during the September trade show schedule, with initial Asian wholesale orders and regional delivery windows expected to begin rolling out for early 2027 collections.

  • Top young Hong Kong fashion designers revealed

    Top young Hong Kong fashion designers revealed

    This year’s top young Hong Kong fashion designers have been revealed, capping off the Centrestage festival.

    Three winners of the 2019 Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) were chosen from a final pool of 16.

    Champion Wilson Yip received a monetary reward together with a one-month internship working in the studio of Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro, sponsored by Sun Hing Knitting Factory.

    Yip’s prizewinning “Forgetful Still” was a whimsical collection inspired by the aesthetic of absentmindedness. Yip also took the Best Footwear Design Award.

    Designer Louis Chow was named first runner-up for his collection “Already But Not Yet”, while the award for second runner-up and new talent was given to Enzo Chan for his “Since 1996”.

    The judges assessed the top young Hong Kong fashion designers’ works based on creativity, originality, market potential, craftsmanship, use of fabrics and overall aesthetics, and offered expert feedback to each of the participants. VIP Judge Mihara Yasuhiro had particular praise for the winning piece, saying that Champion Wilson Yip “managed to paint fashion over the backdrop of everyday life, using elements of daily wear and injecting them with novelty and creativity”.

    The YDC has been organized by the HKTDC for more than four decades with the objective of nurturing and promoting young fashion talent. In 2012, to further promote the international visibility of local Hong Kong designers, the HKTDC launched fashionally.com, an online platform that showcases the work of local labels and talents to link them with global industry insiders and opportunities.

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  • Zalora Support Three Local Designers at Singapore Fashion Week

    Zalora Support Three Local Designers at Singapore Fashion Week

    ZALORA, Asia’s online fashion destination, today announced its partnership with Singapore Fashion Week as the Official E-Tail Partner. This is the second time the online fashion brand is taking part in one of the region’s biggest fashion events of the year. ZALORA will be presenting three Singapore designers and labels namely, Stolen, Aijek, and Max Tan in the Fashion Futures Showcase. Fashion fans in Singapore can purchase the collections on ZALORA from today onwards.

    As the Official E-Tail Partner, ZALORA will be hosting a shoppable Singapore Fashion Week microsite on ZALORA.com that will feature curated collections from Fashion Futures Showcase and Singapore Fashion Week Access, a dedicated show segment for Singapore designers. As part of ZALORA’s commitment to stay up-to-date with the latest trends within the industry, ZALORA is embracing the ‘see now, buy now’ model enabling fashion show goers to purchase their favourite looks immediately.

    Shop Max Tan Spring/Summer 2017, Stolen Spring/Summer 2017, and Aijek Fall/Winter 2016 collections at www.zalora.sg/fashion-week-singapore and on the ZALORA mobile app.

    “ZALORA is proud to be supporting local designer talent in one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year,” said Parker Gundersen, Chief Executive Officer of ZALORA Group. “We’re very passionate about supporting the local fashion industry across all of our markets in Asia, and Singapore Fashion Week provides a great opportunity for us to give the region’s top designers exposure to millions of new consumers on our online platform. It’s also an exciting way for our customers to discover new fashion and to buy product straight from the runway.”

    “Singapore Fashion Week is delighted to be working with ZALORA again this year, as we recognise the growing impact and importance of digital and social media, and connecting designers and labels

    with customers via e-commerce. With the growing trend of ‘See Now, Buy Now’ as well, I believe that online retailers like ZALORA will play an ever-growing role in partnerships with fashion weeks around the world,” commented Tjin Lee, Founder and Chairman of Singapore Fashion Week.

    ZALORA also strongly believes in making fashion more inclusive and accessible. To further engage fashion consumers, the Fashion Futures Showcase will be live-streamed on ZALORA where viewers at home can watch the shows and access exclusive content. Catch all the exciting happenings at Singapore Fashion Week Fashion Futures Showcase on social media at #ZALORAxSGFW.

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  • Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week Celebrates New Generation of Indonesia Designers

    Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week Celebrates New Generation of Indonesia Designers

    As the theme for the mall’s anniversary celebration suggests, the fashion week will reflect the so-called “now generation” by putting emerging local designers under the spotlight.

    On Tuesday evening, young designer Yosep Sinudarsono will present his space-inspired spring-summer 2016 collection, continued with Rama Dauhan, whose streetwear designs will be infused by Morrocan and Spanish influences.

    Nikicio, a label whose name has reached cult-like status among the local fashion set, will represent the multi-label store The Goods Dept in its show on Wednesday night. Other show highlights include Opi Bachtiar and Ardistia New York on Thursday as well as Hunting Fields on Sunday.

    A slew of traditional textile-oriented designers will also participate in the fashion week, such as Didiet Maulana of Ikat Indonesia as well as batik brands like Iwan Tirta Private Collection.

    Meanwhile, some notable international labels that will show its collections during the event include Carven and Karen Millen.

    “I’m very excited to be part of Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week,” said Patrick Owen, one of Indonesia’s rising fashion stars whose show on Saturday night will mark the end of the fashion week.

    Patrick will present his latest spring collection, entitled “Jalanan” (“Streets”), which represents “my wildest imagination of how Indonesian streets could be,” he said.

    Known for his exacting tailored pieces and bold artistic prints, the designer will also collaborate with acclaimed illustrator Emte in the show.

    “We’re going to be working together on something backstage during the show, and we will give the audience a surprise by the end,” Patrick hinted.

    But that is not Emte’s only job at the fashion week — he just recently finished a 150-meter-long mural artwork that adorns the hall in which the shows will be held.

    “It is the first time I’ve ever created a work that big,” he said with a laugh.

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  • Manila FAME Expo To Feature Works of Famous Artists, Young Talents

    Manila FAME Expo To Feature Works of Famous Artists, Young Talents

    Intensive preparations are underway for the holding of “Manila FAME: The Design and Lifestyle Event,” which will showcase the works of the Philippines young talents in the crafts and design field.

    The expo would be held in Manilas World Trade Center, from April 21 to 24, 2016, Alma Argayoso, Philippine Trade Representative to Indonesia, said here, Tuesday.

    The Philippine Department of Trades promotion arm, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Museums (CITEM) will unveil the creation of a distinct Philippine brand in the creative industry, she noted.

    She also said that this time FAME expects to welcome an even larger number of foreign buyers from Europe and the Americas as well as from Japan, China and Taiwan.

    Also to be featured in the Manila FAME exposition are the works of Kenneth Cobunpue, whose furniture designs have received so many international accolades in the United States and Europe that TIME Magazine has dubbed him “rattans first great virtuoso.” His works today grace luxury hotels and the residences of royalties and celebrities worldwide.

    Another Filipino artist whose works will be an attraction in Manila FAME is Mila Imson who won top prize in the ASEAN Jewelry Design Competition in Thailand in September 2015. Her winning design is called “The Serpent.”

    The competition was organized by the ASEAN Intellectual Property Offices in collaboration with the European Union.

    According to Philippine Trade Representative Alma Argayoso, the achievements of Kenneth Cobonpue and Mila Imson did not come by accident.

    They are the result of the following factors: 1) Both come from families with businesses that are already well established in the trade; 2) they passionately honed their natural skills; 3) the Philippine government, no matter how poorly it performs in other fields of governance, has consistently supported and guided the creative economy since 1983; and 4) the government, through the Department of Trade and Industrys Center For International Trade Exposition and Missions (CITEM), has instituted quality control measures that ensure Philippine crafts and designs match world standards. And then, aside from all these, there is the mentorship program.

    Called “Red Box”, the mentorship program simply aims at nurturing the next generation of designers of home accents, furniture, apparel, and accessories. Young talents are paired off with successful and celebrated Filipino designers.

    Under close supervision, the young talents go through total immersion in the creative fields they are passionate about.

    They are challenged to turn out fresh designs, concepts and innovations, and to refine them so that they reflect their artistic personalities. In brief, to achieve branding.

    As a mentorship program, Red Box is supported by a platform called FAME.

    The bi-annual “Manila FAME, The Design and Lifestyle Event” showcases the works of young talents every April and last quarter of the year. The event has flourished in recent years, as it has regularly attracted many buyers from all over the world.

    As to the regional context of Manila FAME, Argayoso has explained that Southeast Asia is a region of craftsmen and designers with an abundance of natural materials that they can convert into practical items that also evoke aesthetic pleasure.

    But Southeast Asian craftsmen and designers have had to struggle to gain international recognition and patronage – even among the regions collectors.

    This is largely because most Asian buyers have fallen for the allure of Western designs and brands, she remarked.

    But times are changing, she said. Technology and global trends have revolutionized lifestyles everywhere. This revolution in tastes has leveled the playing fields for craftsmen and designers, including those from Southeast Asia.

    The Philippines has been among the first countries in the region to seize the opportunities brought about by this revolution. For over three decades since 1983, with the encouragement of a succession of government administrations, the crafts and design sector of the country patiently nurtured the skills of its professionals and the entrepreneurial foundation for a creative industry.

    This endeavor was premised on a great confidence in the quality of the nations human resources, a confidence regularly vindicated by the amount of money that Filipino overseas workers remit home every year.

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