02 Nov Is 2015 the year of Asian fashion?
Is 2015 the year of Asian fashion?
Designers have been journeying to the Far East for inspiration since the 1800s, but this year the fascination with the Asian culture and style is perhaps more evident than ever before. From oriental florals and china blue hues, over obis, to kimono and cheongsam dresses, the line-ups of the 2015 collections exuded the celebration of Asian style.
We give you the highlights of the Asian 2015 fashion year.
1. Designers Influenced by Asia
The Asian influence on the Western world has been present all year round. Just before the Chinese New Year, Burberry released a special edition scarf with a Chinese ‘good luck’ monogram undoubtedly targeting Chinese buyers. While in May we watched the fashion’s biggest night, the Met Gala, and the subsequent annual costume exhibition present China: Through the Looking Glass, Karl Lagerfeld took his hanbok-inspired Chanel Cruise 2015 collection to the Asia’s fashion capital, Seoul.
The house of Dior and Japan have a long-standing relationship which was reaffirmed by Raf Simons’ latest collection. Although staged in Tokyo, Simons’ collection showed no kimonos or cherry blossoms, but was rather inspired by current Japanese street style. Set in China, The Flowers of War was an inspiration for Antonio Berardi’s 2015 spring collection, which included cheongsam-resembling dresses.
2. Influential Asian Designers
Many emerging Asian designers are trying to make themselves heard on the international scene, while those established names continue to have influence. The queen of the bridal wear, Vera Wang redefined this rather sidelined genre and made thousands of women dream about walking down the aisle in one of her wedding dresses. If you say ‘shoes’ and ‘sophisticated’ one name comes to your mind – Jimmy Choo. One of the pioneers of the Asian fashion, Vivienne Tam, had to put up with a lot of scepticism when she decided to start a brand under her Chinese name. Today, she is one of the most influential designers. Born in the Philippines, Michael Cinco rose to fame while working with Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell, and today he is one of the most prominent names of the Middle East fashion industry. Michelle Obama shot Jason Wu to international fame in 2009 when she decided to wear a dress he designed to Mr. Obama’s inaugural ball. Then she again endorsed him publicly in 2013 on the occasion of the second inauguration.
3. Asian Models on the International Runways
A major part of the world’s consumer market is in Asia, and this fact did not go unnoticed by the designers and fashion houses. Campaign ads and runway shows have seen a surge in the number of Asian top models, all with a view to appeal to the consumers. The first Asian on the catwalk for Victoria’s Secret was Liu Wen. She also worked for Chanel, Estée Lauder, Balenciaga, and Givenchy. Devon Aoki has done shows for Versace, Chanel, and many others. You might recognize Godfrey Gao’s face from the Louis Vuitton spring/summer 2011 campaign. The Asian blonde beauty, Soo Joo is L’Oreal’s global spokesmodel and she also has names such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Moschino, and Oscar de la Renta under her belt.
4. The Most Famous Asian Garb
Indian sarees are trending and stealing the international fashion shows for some time now. Their popularity does not seem to subside. This enigmatic garb inspired some of the most prominent names of the international runways, from Marc Jacobs, and Karl Lagerfeld, to Diane von Furstenberg. Many Hollywood stars, such as Madonna, Elizabeth Hurley, Oprah, and Cheryl Blair, contributed to this popularity by walking the red carpet wrapped in sarees.
How do you like the Asian influence on the world style?
About the Author
Amy Mia Goldsmith is a literature graduate from Melbourne who loves to write short stories and reviews. Her passion is beauty and fashion and she loves to spend her free time travelling and of course – shopping! You can contact Amy on her Facebook page.