Next Fashion Cities:
Bangkok, Beijing, Mumbai and Seoul
HOMEFEATURES ▸ Next Fashion Cities: Bangkok, Beijing, Mumbai and Seoul
2016.10.18
By Divia Harilela
There are plenty of cities around the world that claim to be the ultimate style capital. In Asia competition is rife as hubs like Bangkok, Beijing, Mumbai and Seoul have emerged as new contenders thanks to their buzzing fashion weeks, talented designers and stylish residents. To prove it, CENTRESTAGE Elites was held in September showcasing the latest spring/summer 2017 collections from four of Asia’s rising stars –Hong Kong’s HANG, SIMONGAO from Beijing, beyond closet from Seoul and rotsaniyom from Bangkok.

Want to know more? Then check out our style guide for each city.


Bangkok
The lo-down: Thai ladies may be known for their designer outfits and perfectly manicured appearance, but the city’s growing street style scene has led to the rise of more urban and contemporary labels known for their fashion forward details.
 
Where to shop: Department store Siam Paragon, which hosts cool events including the recent  “In Style • Hong Kong” which showcased six Hong Kong designers - 112 mountainyam, Bonita Cheng, DORISKATH, Koyo, Loom Loop and SPY - as well as cool lifestyle and gourmet products. Siam Center is home to countless of up and coming local designers.
 
Designers to know: Popular brands include Greyhound which is know for its wearable urban separates, while Hollywood favourite Disaya is more feminine and sophisticated.  For something more romantic try the vintage-inspired designs of rotsaniyom.

Greyhound FW16

Beijing

The lo-down: Shanghai has a more established fashion week but Beijing is home to all the fashion media, and therefore attracts plenty of talent. Established names mix with young creatives who are injecting the scene with a more avant garde style.
 
Where to shop: Aside from international department stores like Galeries Lafayette and Lane Crawford, there are plenty of independent retailers showcasing local designers such as Triple Major, Dongliang and I.T Beijing Market run by Comme des Garcons.
 
Designers to know: Contemporary labels include the quirky yet colourful Chictopia and Simon Gao which features draped, unisex creations. Xander Zhou creates men’s wear with a dark edge.
 

Mumbai

The lo-down: Delhi may be considered the centre of the industry, but Mumbai is catching up thanks to its glamorous residents and proximity to Bollywood. While traditional garb still dominates, many designers explore the Indo-Western style which mixes Indian details and Western silhouettes.
 
Where to shop: Find all the big names in Kala Ghoda while hip area Colaba is home to multibrand stores like Ensemble, Bombay Electric and Atosa. The best known concept store is Bungalow Eight, which also boasts its own in-house label, Bungalow.
 
Designers to know: Sabyasachi has been referred to as the Dries Van Noten of India thanks to his ethnic embroideries, while Manish Malhotra offers more glamorous creations. For East-meets-West staples opt for emerging labels like Asa by Shreya Oza.
 
Boon The Shop

Seoul

The lo-down: After K-pop and K-beauty, it was only a matter of time before K-Fashion took over.  Seoul’s designers are known for adapting trends quickly and creating affordable contemporary lines with a youth-driven aesthetic inspired by music and other sub-cultures.
 
Where to shop: For luxury, head to the Gangnum-gu district with its designer boutiques, luxury department stores and hip multi-brand retailers such as Boon The Shop. The cool kids visit Dongdaemun market which features a lineup of mammoth malls such as Doota that are open 24/7.

Designers to know: For covetable denim check out Steve J & Yoni P while pushBUTTON offers more trendy yet sophisticated pieces. Award winning designer Ko Taeyong (beyond closet) is one to watch thanks to his fresh take on preppy classics.



About this author

To bring our readers insightful and relevant content about local fashion, FASHIONALLY invites Divia Harilela as our contributor. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Divia Harilela is the founder of The D’Vine and known as a leading authority on fashion in Asia. She also contributes for SCMP, Vogue ChinaBusiness of Fashion and Howtospendit.com, among many other publications.

 

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