Cover These are the Asian menswear designers to know about now (Photo: Ahluwalia)

Asian designers are quickly taking over the fashion industry, and that includes menswear. Here’s who you should keep your eye on

In an era where menswear is becoming more and more experimental, from the man-pouch trend of SS2020 to Hamish Bowles’ beautiful flourish of feathers at the Met Gala 2019, it’s unsurprising to see more menswear designers come out of the woods.
 
This explosion in menswear includes Asian designers, who are beginning to make their mark on the global fashion market thanks to their innovative and unique designs. Here are 10 emerging Asian menswear designers you need to know about.

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Ahluwalia

Creating up-cycled menswear crafted exclusively from vintage and deadstock fabrics, this sustainable designer is certainly making a name for herself as the winner of the H&M Design Award 2019 and a LVMH Prize 2020 finalist merely two years after her debut.

Beyond her dedication to sustainability, Priya Ahluwalia’s designs meld nostalgia with the grunge of streetwear; integrating patterns derived from her Nigerian-Indian heritage in her designs.

Available at Ahluwalia Studio

Kozaburo

Kozaburo draws heavily from the street culture he surrounded himself with in '90s Japan to influence his collections.

Self-proclaimed to be "uniquely poetic and contemporary – yet not temporary", Kozaburo’s immaculate tailoring and combination of timelessness with a soft edge won him the LVMH Prize in 2017.

Available at Kozaburo

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1x1Studio

This Taiwanese designer’s fantastical knitwear beautifully shape the body, presenting a sense of sensibility that isn’t too defined. Yi-Ling Kuo, the designer behind 1x1Studio, offers a romanticised interpretation of the world, as she uses various cultural references to inform on her collections.

Kuo has also recently integrated an environmentally-mindful approach in her SS20 collection, which uses sustainable materials, allowing the clothes to decompose over the course of five years if buried in soil.

Available at 1x1Studio

WE11DONE

Hailing from Korea, this duo–consisting of Dami Kwon and Jessica Jung–uses their brand to challenge gender and cultural binaries in fashion.

Their moody designs present androgynous shapes with a defined edge that drape across the body.

Available at WE11DONE

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young n sang

Avant-garde sustainability is here with South Korean designer couple Youngshin and Sanglim, who have even collaborated with NFL to design a football for the 50th Anniversary of the Super Bowl.

Unafraid of defying the status quo, young n sang prove fashion never ages, with the duo using elderly street vendors to model their most recent collection that was filled with contoured shapes and vivid colours.

Available at Not Just A Label

FFIXED STUDIOS

This laid-back Hong Kong x Shanghai duo uses modern cutting techniques as they address issues of sustainability and ethics in fashion.

Pastel colours and comfortable silhouettes dot their collections, offering a style that is both constructional and contemporary.

Available at FFIXED

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Paria Farzaneh

Making waves in fashion both in womenswear and menswear is Paria Farzanah. This Iranian designer uses hand-made, sustainable prints made by locals from her hometown; beckoning the world to further explore her Persian heritage while staying on-trend.

Available at Farfetch

Lusive

Founded in 2019, this Taiwanese designer is already offering promising designs; featuring bold animal prints in their most recent collection.

This detail-oriented designer integrates their Taiwanese heritage with modern silhouettes, oozing a sense of luxe with streetwear.

Available at Lusive Workshop

Wisdom

There is a clear military influence behind this Vietnamese designer, creating a functional, lightweight yet contemporary menswear collection.

Initially specialising in urban streetwear, Wisdom has evolved to offer urban outdoor styles perfect for the modern traveller.

Available at Wisdom

DEMO

Hong Kong born and raised Derek Chan's soft, fluid style challenges gender boundaries – creating a new aesthetic that gives a different meaning to masculinity beyond virility.

Through his collections, Chan explores characters and identities throughout the ages, manifesting intriguing personalities through his designs.

Available at DEMO

See also: 5 Up-And-Coming Menswear Brands To Know In 2019

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