At a time of unprecedented disruption in the industry, Fashion Asia Hong Kong’s recent forum is appropriately named: Fashion Challenges.

The usual topics were on the agenda: business leadership, retail, innovation, and the media. But these were underpinned by the role of Asia in the design sector— from how designers are transforming its landscape, to strategies for fostering the next generation of creative talent here.

One of the most recognizable Asian-American names in the fashion industry, Philip Lim, flew in for a panel on Asian Forces: Shaping Style and Identity. Afterwards, Lim (who recently stepped down as creative director of his eponymous brand) discussed in an interview the difficulties Asian designers face in gaining recognition and the lack of representation in leadership roles.

“Equity is asymmetrical in fashion,” he says, candidly. “Even though there’s so many Asian designers in the industry, we’re still dealing with the fact that there are no Asians at the big houses.”

When Philip Lim started out two decades ago in New York, he found himself part of an Asian-American wave that took the industry by storm. This was, he explains, a powerful moment that said something of the time. “It changed the American fashion industry. We became part of American fashion history and to this day, we’re still there. But as with anything in fashion, it’s trendy. It shifts forward, it moves. Nothing’s really guaranteed.”

Equity is asymmetrical in fashion

Since then, there’s not been the uptick his moment could have ushered in. But Fashion Asia is doing its bit to amplify talents to the industry. Each year, it unveils its 10 Asian Designers to Watch initiative— young talents that might one day emulate Lim’s success. This year it spotlighted the class of 2024, with names like Ya Yi, Junte Kim, Oude Waag, and Ruohan all vying for their own place in history.

An exhibition the following day showcased previous winners who are also shaking up the industry. Feng Chen Wang and Windownsen (helmed by Fengchen Wang and Sensen Lii respectively), who, in their sessions, affirmed, like Lim, the importance of representation on the global stage. Meanwhile, Shanghai Fashion Week’s Lv Xiaolei spoke with retailer Tasha Liu about the importance of creating a holistic ecosystem to promote Chinese design—both at home and abroad.

Another speaker on the day, the Nepalese-American designer, and now vice chairman of The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Prabal Gurung, has been a vocal proponent of the Asian voice since he started his label 14 years ago. During his talk Embracing Transformation, he discussed alternative avenues of storytelling and encouraged individuals to live by “their own definition of success.” After the session, Gurung was optimistic about the future of Asian design, stating that a “shift towards Asia” is inevitable within the next two decades.

Gurung wants to see those at the top “building a revolutionary and inclusive fashion industry” that bolsters creatives from different parts of the world. “I would say this. I think it’s crucial for anyone who has might and power, access, and infrastructure, to reflect and think about why, if they’re benefiting from these countries, they’re not supporting them.” He sees it as a moral question: “These countries can’t just be their cash cows.”

The event closed with Lim’s Asian Forces panel, featuring the actor Will Or and stylist Tina Leung. Lim’s second time at Fashion Asia, he comments on how each time he visits the continent, he feels the dichotomy of familiarity and newness—of “dynamism and hyperrealism.”

There is no shortage of talent to be discovered here. Last edition featured Robert Wun, the first designer from Hong Kong to join the Haute Couture Calendar. And this time, the talent is no less impressive. According to Lim, these 10 designers have a hyperrealist expression that unifies them. “When I see this work here, it inspires me. And I think it’s a reaction to what I call, frankly, the disrespect of creativity. It’s great to see them using design as a vehicle, so unapologetically. I just hope they can build a business from it.”

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