Taipei Fashion Week AW’24, produced at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, recently presented a diverse array of runway shows and exhibitions. Organized by the Ministry of Culture, the recent shows put a spotlight on Taiwan’s fashion designers. With a theme of “Cultural Olympics,” the shows focused on fashion, culture, sports, and international elements. The top designer brands included C JEAN, Jamie Wei Huang, JUST IN XX, PCES< STORY WEAR, and SYZYGY.
C JEAN focused on ancient Olympic elements including gladiators and classical mythology. Tailoring was streamlined. Colors were vibrant, and outfits featured eco-friendly materials like PET zippers and recycled marine waste. C JEAN showcases sustainable practices and collaborates with NASA. Their clothes sparked designs of Parisian landmarks with innovative and environmentally conscious concepts.
Jaimie Wei Huang’s designs showed the designer’s expertise in cross-disciplinary styles. From the looks of her clothes, she seamlessly fused art and fashion with impeccable tailoring and meticulous craftsmanship. For AW’24, she unveiled a collection inspired by the Chinese Taipei surfing team, showing outfits for water sports in high-end fabrics with avant-garde style.
JUST IN XX introduced their extended 2024 Olympic collection, which incorporated colors of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee emblem. In bold prints, this designer captured elements such as mountains, seas, cities, and plains, using advanced fabrics and three-dimensional cutting. Designs were functional and showcased the fusion of Taiwan’s culture as incorporated fashionably in the Chinese Taipei Olympic uniform.
PCES channeled the feminine spirit of the Paris Olympics by embodying features like people, prints, elegance, positivity, audacity, and boldness. Colors were absolutely beautiful. Looks were soft, sometimes presented in whispery fabrics. This collection harmonized with the sports theme, spotlighting the versatility of sustainable fabrics and merging history, culture, and environment in four sport themes.
STORY WEAR drew inspiration from the timeless ideals of the French Revolution—liberty, equality, fraternity. For peace, the symbolism of the Olympic torch echoed throughout the show. Embracing collective voices in tumultuous times, this collection highlighted anti-war sentiments and promoted peace, freedom, and love through fashion.
SYZYGY was inspired from celestial phenomena, specifically comet tails forming star knots that symbolized Paris Olympics athletes’ unity. Features included rock-climbing elements and red, white, and blue symbolism, in eco-fashion with sustainable materials and innovative design.
These shows ignited the runways with a dynamic fusion of sports spirit and Olympic expectations. The possibilities are endless, and the fashions will be sustainable as cultures unite.
For New York Fashion Week, Negris LeBrum’s Autumn/Winter’24 show focused on a World Peace Collection, designed by creative director Travis Hamilton, each of his collections sparked anticipation in the fashion community and were introduced in an array of innovative textiles, colors, and patterns, including ostrich prints, sequined combinations, graffiti knits, and poly-silk ensembles.
During the show, Hamilton reminisced about a pivotal moment that continues to inspire each of his collections. “I’ve been fortunate to encounter incredible experiences in this industry and to cross paths with immensely talented professionals who serve as perpetual wellsprings of inspiration,” he said. “Among these, one standout moment remains the inclusion of Negris LeBrum in the August 2021 Vanity Fair Italy editorial [print issue], alongside esteemed global heritage brands such as Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Dolce & Gabbana.”
Hamilton’s odyssey in the fashion realm is deeply intertwined with his passion for storytelling. Drawing inspiration from the love saga of Negris, a captivating French Creole woman, and Sam LeBrum, a charismatic Black man, Hamilton’s designs continue to pay homage to their enduring romance. This story unfolded amidst the tumultuous social backdrop of the late 1940s. Against all odds, their love triumphed, and Hamilton’s enchanting creations serve as poignant vessels, narrating their timeless tales to audiences worldwide.