Beyond the Runway: Fashion Week Asia Brings Collections and Conversations Together with The Re-See and Fashion Forward Asia Forum

Fashion extends beyond the runway. It lives in the details of a garment, the decisions behind its creation, the business that sustains it, and the stories that give it meaning.

These ideas came into focus on October 23, as Fashion Week Asia held The Re-See and Fashion Forward Asia Forum at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Manila. Two complementary parts of the inaugural edition, The Re-See offered an opportunity for guests to examine the participating designers’ collections up close, while the Fashion Forward Asia Forum brought together voices from fashion and the creative industries for conversations about the region’s evolving fashion landscape.

A Closer Look at the Collections

The Re-See gathered Fashion Week Asia’s collections in one space, allowing buyers, media, and guests to appreciate the pieces beyond their runway presentation.

Visitors could take in the materials, construction, and techniques behind each collection, while connecting with designers and learning more about their creative processes and influences. It offered a setting to explore the collections and meet designers directly, and a closer view of the craftsmanship and creative approaches represented across the participating markets.

By bringing these collections together, The Re-See reflected Fashion Week Asia’s aim of connecting fashion communities across the region while preserving the individual identities that make each designer’s work distinct.

Five Conversations on the Future of Asian Fashion

Fashion Forward Asia Forum opened space for designers, industry leaders, and creative voices to exchange ideas on the future of fashion in Asia. Across five conversations, they reflected on how the region’s rich talent, craftsmanship, and heritage can create new possibilities for the next generation of designers and creatives.

For Mikee Sabatini, Project Manager of Fashion Forward Asia Forum, one of the most rewarding parts of bringing the forum together was collaborating with a team united by a shared vision for the future of fashion in the Philippines and across Asia.

“One of the most rewarding parts of developing the Fashion Forward Asia Forum was working with a group of people who share the same passion and vision. It was not just about putting on an event; it was also about doing something meaningful for the Philippines and for Asia as a whole. The days were long, but everyone was happy to put in the work because we believed in what we were building together,” Sabatini said.

The program opened with The Creative Code: Voice, Identity and Point of View, which explored how designers develop a recognizable creative language while staying true to their identities. Moderated by Pam Quiñones, Deputy Editor and Fashion Director of Vogue Philippines, the session featured Toton Januar of TOTON; Amina Aranaz Alunan, Co-Founder of ARANAZ and Co-Founder & Chairwoman of SoFA Design Institute; Desmond Lim, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Singapore, and Rajo Laurel, CEO, Chief Vision Officer and Fashion Designer of Rajo Laurel Enterprises, House of Laurel Inc.

The conversation then turned to the business of fashion in Making it Work: From Creative Practice to Business. Moderated by Peewee Reyes-Isidro, Editor-in-Chief of MEGA Asia, the session considered what it takes to build a sustainable fashion enterprise while preserving its creative vision. Speakers included Anisah Farid of PLAZÄ; Marina Lyritzi, Wholesale & Brand Consultant FWS2; Amal Sultan, Director of Partnerships & International Development L’Adresse Paris Agency South Asia, WSN Group; and Christine Cheryl Benet, School Director Slim’s Fashion & Arts School.

In The Material Revolution: Craft, Technology and New Possibilities, moderator Danyl Geneciran, Editor-in-Chief of GQ Philippines, joined Wisharawish Akarasantisook of Wisharawish; Thao Vu, Founder, Designer & Creative Director KILOMET109; and Lulu Tan-Gan, Artisanal Fashion Designer of TAN-GAN, to discuss traditional craftsmanship, emerging technologies, and new approaches to materials and production.

The fourth session, Access: Fashion Week—How to Get In, Get Seen, and Get Started, looked at how designers can navigate the fashion-week circuit and make the most of the opportunities it offers. Moderated by Patrick Ty, Chief of Editorial Content at VMAN Southeast Asia and Creative Chief of MEGA Asia, the discussion featured Apples Aberin, Co-Chair of Fashion Week Asia and Vice President of One Mega Group Inc. Lifestyle Media; Bauyrzhan Shadibekov, CEO of Fashion Week Almaty and Fashion Week Tashkent, Designer Award; and Svida Alisjahbana, Founder & Chairman of Jakarta Fashion Week and CEO of GCM Media Group.

The forum concluded with Fashion as a Voice: Image, Narrative and Cultural Power, which explored how fashion stories travel across borders and how their cultural context and meaning can be preserved. Moderated by Bea Valdes, Chief of Content for Vogue Philippines, GQ Philippines, and Allure Philippines, alongside co-moderator Annabel Bolton, Client Strategist of The Business of Fashion, the session featured Trickie Lopa, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Philippines, and actress and television host Anne Curtis.

Produced by AGC Power Holdings Corp., Fashion Week Asia aims to connect fashion communities across the region and create opportunities for designers and creatives. The Re-See and Fashion Forward Asia Forum offered a closer look at Asian fashion, from the collections themselves to the ideas shaping the industry’s future.

For more highlights from The Re-See and Fashion Forward Asia Forum, follow Fashion Week Asia on its social media platforms:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fashionweekasiaofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fashionweekasiaofficial
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fashionweekasia

Photos courtesy of Ed Simon, Kieran Punay, and Excel Panlaque of KLIQ Inc.