There’s no doubt that when we think of high-end luxury fashion brands, we’ve got a list ready in the blink of an eye.
If you ask someone to name one luxury brand, Gucci is the first word that comes to mind. If not Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Dior, Valentino, Louis Vuitton are waiting in line to grasp the opportunity.
Even when it comes to cinema, we always think of famous fashion films – The devil wears Prada or House of Gucci.
While we are indefinitely in love with our absolute high-end luxury brands, let’s look at our rising Asian labels making a massive statement in the fashion industry.
From Squid Game to K-pop, through to Rahul Mishra couture: how Asia entered the global film market, stormed the world stage and hit the fashion industry
Fashion and film have always been inseparably linked in every aspect.
If we look at the last few years, Asian influence has been on top of the world.
Not only are we popular when it comes to food and culture, but our identity is rising to take the spotlight and creating new waves in the global fashion industry.
Oscar-winning films and shows such as ’Marvel’s Shang-Chi, Parasite, Minari and Squid Game have changed the game of Asian film and fashion industries.
South Korean drama 'Squid Game' has become Netflix's biggest hit
We also have K-drama and K-pop (BTS, Stray Kids, Ateez, TXT etc.) running worldwide with the biggest fan base and love of the Asian community.
When it comes to exploring the South Asian representation, top shows such as Netflix’s Never have I ever or the American late-night talk show A little late with Lilly Singh have shone a bright light on the Indian fashion industry by expanding the knowledge and recognition of Indian artisans and craftsmanship.
’Cinema’s remarkable role in the expansion of Asian fashion craftsmanship
Cinema has played a remarkable role in expanding the Asian fashion industry as it provides a broader perspective of local textiles, ideas, materials and craftsmanship.
Rahul Mishra spring-summer 2022 haute couture collection
There has been a significant rise in Asian representation on screen in Hollywood and the rest of the film industry.
This also encourages designers to showcase their work in the high-end fashion world.
Some of Asia’s top up-and-coming designers and fashion brands have achieved an exceptional place in the global luxury state of fashion.
These include Rahul Mishra, Solid Homme, Yohji Yamamoto, Rokh, Yiqing Yin, Gaurav Gupta, Roopa Pemmaraju, Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Samuel Guì Yang and Alexander Wang, whose comeback to the runway a few days ago culminated in the multi-layered and much-debated ‘Fortune City’ show, celebrating Asian-American culture, food and music in Los Angeles’s old Chinatown.
Prabal Gurung fall-winter 2019 ready-to-wear collection
Dior Spring-Summer 2022 show was a tribute to Indian art of hand craftsmanship
India has always been on top of the game when it comes to textiles, artisans, craftsmanship and embroidery.
According to digital news platform Lifestyle Asia, “India’s art goes beyond the works of great artists, its presence can be felt everywhere from the rangolis that adorn each doorstep to the works of local craftsmen.
The set of the prestigious Dior haute couture spring-summer 2022 fashion show
At the heart of the Dior Spring-Summer 2022 show at the Musée Rodin in Paris were India’s karigars”, they noticed. “A reinvented art gallery served as the space for the show where Madhvi and Manu Parekh’s works were embroidered into wall tapestries by artisans from the Chanakya Atelier, the students from the Chanakya School of Craft in India.”
They crafted the breathtaking installation using 400 shades of organic silk, linen, cotton and jute threads, sewn with a variation of 150 embroidery techniques.
It took the artisans three months to bring the artwork to life.
Karigari (कारीगरी) as an art of passion
Handmade, locally-produced art and textiles always have a special touch and appeal compared to machine-made fabrics.
This essence can come to life because karigari (कारीगरी) is an art of passion, years of practice and an idea of love.
The number of designers working with local artisans keeps increasing to spotlight the richness of Indian art, tradition and textiles.
This keeps our traditional art forms alive, encourages local and sustainable fashion, and supports the artist communities that rely on these crafts for their livelihoods.
Lavanya Sharma
Second-year student in the Fashion Design Undergraduate Progression course, Mumbai
