Top 10 Notable Asian Designers of 2024
May
From Mark Gong, who designed outfits for Blackpink’s Jennie and Rosé, to Chris Habana, whose client list includes Beyoncé, these are the next notable Asian talents.
Summary: Cheney Chan Thai Huy Buerlangma Yogie Pratama Grace Ling Bobo Calcutta Chrishabana Mark Gong Aomi Noir Kei Ninomiya
Based on the fashion events of the past January, including Men’s Fashion Weeks in Paris and Milan as well as Haute Couture Week in Paris, 2024 is expected to be a “big year” for the fashion industry. Besides major designers like Schiaparelli and Jean Paul Gaultier, many Asian brands have been attracting attention not only at the early-year fashion shows but also in recent years.
From the intricate handmade dresses of Indian designer Rahul Mishra to Robert Wun from Hong Kong—who made a strong impression at Cannes 2023 with his burnt tulle wedding gown—the designers from this region are making continuous waves. And it’s not just the big Asian brands; several emerging brands have surprised and delighted fans with their creative approach to fashion. Let’s take a look at 10 promising Asian designers who will be on the fashion radar in 2024!
Cheney Chan
Since launching his eponymous label in 2012, designer Cheney Chan has attracted an impressive client list, including Fan Bingbing and Davika Hoorne. Chan incorporates cultural elements from China into his designs, such as patterns inspired by ancient gardens in Suzhou or the tradition of porcelain-making in Jingdezhen, transforming them into beautifully embroidered garments or gravity-defying dresses, highlighting these elements both literally and figuratively.
Thai Huy
Vietnamese brand Thaihuy, founded by Tô Hoàng Thái Huy, had a grand moment on the red carpet in December 2023 when model Jourdan Dunn wore the brand’s black starfish dress to the British Fashion Awards 2023 in London.
Since debuting the first collection, Ertica, in August 2023, the brand has shone brightly thanks to its particularly clever creations. Ertica pays homage to Romain de Tirtoff—known as Erté—a famous French artist during the Art Deco period of the 1920s. With a palette of black, white, and metallics, the works draw on line, symmetry, patterns, stars, and the overall allure of that era.
Buerlangma
Qiqi Yuan and Crystal Wang, the Chinese duo behind the emerging brand Buerlangma, have made a splash in the music industry, especially with artists like Beyoncé, Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion. Their designs often feature sculptural elements and a reinterpretation of traditional silhouettes and cuts, exaggerated in proportion. They combine high-quality craftsmanship with technology, such as 3D printing, to create “future works” that blend unique elegant dressing styles.
Yogie Pratama
Based in Jakarta, Yogie Pratama creates elegant bridal wear and designs that have garnered strong online attention. A video showcasing his Minuit collection from June 2023 went viral on social media for its sophistication and feminine motifs like bows and flowers. It even caught the attention of Arianna Greenblatt, who wore one of the dresses from that collection to the premiere of the blockbuster Barbie movie in July last year.
Yogie Pratama’s designs blend classic with modern: the designer often references intricate embroidery familiar in traditional kebaya (a blouse worn by women in Southeast Asia) but modifies the patterns to provide a fresh feel. The designs also incorporate many embellishments like beads, sequins, or blocks to contrast with the subtle champagne color palette.
Grace Ling
Up-and-coming designer Grace Ling and her eponymous brand based in New York stunned with her debut collection at New York Fashion Week in September last year, blending minimalist structures with futuristic elements. Beautiful dresses are elegantly crafted with sheer woven styles or Ling’s famous Glitched bustier, likened to the structure of a luxurious cage made from 3D printing techniques to envelop the model’s torso.
The simplicity in the black, white, and silver color palette, combined with Ling’s standout designs, has been favored by red carpet stars as well as fashion enthusiasts, including singer Jennifer Lopez, FKA Twigs, actress Anya Taylor-Joy, and Julia Fox in 2023.
Bobo Calcutta
Ayushman Mitra established his label Bobo Calcutta in 2016 to honor the traditional culture of Bengali people and express his joy for his eccentric experiences through clothing. His unique application of color and love for psychedelic patterns has peaked in a signature style exuding a sense of joy in each creation, from ready-to-wear to bridal wear.
Mitra’s garments are hand-painted or embroidered with intricate designs like paintings and have thus won the hearts of Indian celebrities, such as Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who chose his designs to wear to the Cannes Film Festival in 2022.
Chrishabana
Chris Habana is a fashion and jewelry designer from the Philippines who has worked with musicians, actors, and celebrities since 2008, but it’s only in recent years that his eye-catching works have truly garnered attention. Chris’s jewelry style transforms pointed designs, claw motifs, and chains into strange and wonderful pieces that can be worn alone or paired with clothing.
He also collaborates with major artists to create iconic looks like Beyoncé’s golden halo, the robot ensemble for the Renaissance tour, and other outfits the singer wore on the red carpet in 2023. He also created impressive bodysuits for Doja Cat’s Scarlet tour, collaborating with LaQuan Smith, David Koma, and Theophilio to create unique accessories for their fashion collections.
Mark Gong
Chinese designer Mark Gong’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection showcased core aesthetic values, with models wearing chic reading glasses, pencil skirts, and knitted sweaters while descending the runway with coffee cups in hand. What made the collection more intriguing was a behind-the-scenes video where the designer demonstrated how he wanted the girls to walk, exuding playful energy amidst office buzzers.
Establishing his label in 2018, Gong’s designs have evolved to offer easy-access allure: garments inspired by late 90s to early 00s fashion, with influences from model and rockstar styles resonating through the cuts. Both Jennie and Rosé (Blackpink) have worn Gong’s outfits on stage and in photoshoots, and Korean DJ Peggy Gou and Olivia Rodrigo are also fans of the brand.
Aomi
Omer Farooq and Anusheh Omer, the husband-and-wife duo behind Pakistan’s Aomi brand, launched in late 2022. With a focus on traditional designs at the forefront of their brand DNA, the collections draw inspiration from traditional Pakistani clothing combined with Tilla and Resham embroidery, mixed with modern cuts and proportions.
The brand’s emphasis is on sustainability: products are crafted by local artisans on demand to encourage more realistic production standards.
Noir Kei Ninomiya
Kei Ninomiya, the mind behind the Noir Kei Ninomiya brand, is supported by Japanese fashion legend Rei Kawakubo (founder of Comme des Garçons). Kei’s
