LFW SS26 - From Taipei to London: A Sensory Showcase

From Taipei to London was a vibrant celebration of Taiwanese culture, staged at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts. Spanning everything from garment design to a curated tasting menu by Bao London, the event was commissioned by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture to spotlight the country’s distinctive fashion scene on a global stage. The evening spotlighted the work of four exceptional designers: Apu Jan (APUJAN), Kuo Wei (INFDark), Ray Chu (RAY CHU), and Jenn Lee (JEN LEE). From upcycled textiles to 3D sculptural florals, each collection combined innovation with striking visual impact, often exploring themes of sustainability, identity, and the dialogue between tradition and modernity. We spoke with each of the designers about their inspirations, their own personal relationships with Taiwanese culture, and what it means to bring these ideas to an international stage.

Apu Jan (APUJAN)

What role does storytelling play in your designs?

The subjects of our work are literature, imagination, fantasy, and how time flies. We use a range of textile techniques to highlight this, as well as different prints.

How do the influences of London and Taiwan differ?

I’ve been in London for around twelve years now, and it’s quite different from Taiwan. Not only is the culture different, but people tend to present themselves in a different way. Often, I’ve found that Taiwanese people can be quite shy.

What can you tell us about your catwalk show at London Fashion Week?

Our catwalk show is on Sunday night [21st September]. We’re presenting another new collection about fairytales, centred around imagination and fantasy. We develop all the fabric by ourselves, working alongside different textile factories. We design our own fabrics, as well as incorporating different types of knitting skills.

Outside of your runway collections, you've collaborated with some major brands from all around the world, helping them tell stories. How does this process differ from more traditional designing?

It’s a totally different approach to development, but I'm very grateful to have so many different brands wanting to collaborate with us. If we work with another brand, we first need to know their story in order to combine it with elements of our own brand, and we can create a unique story. Every time we meet a new brand, we always want to hear about them first.

Moving forward, what's next for the label?

Over the past few years we have designed lots of uniforms for some key brands, including Samsung Global. Since then, we’ve had a lot of companies asking us to design uniforms for them. We think this is going to be our second line, though it won’t be for wholesale or retail. We’re also doing visual design for some major brands, alongside designing their uniforms.

Kuo Wei (INFDark)

What started your fascination with shapes and structure?

I think a lot of boys start their fascination with structure because of robots and other things that are presented to us as kids. Somehow, that kept affecting me. When I was a teenager, I got into street dance - I was once a b-boy. That’s also about formation and deformation of the body. That’s what links it all together. When I decided to step into the fashion industry, I could see the many possibilities of an individual garment. It shouldn't be just one garment, we could make it into two or three.

How do you strike a balance between the influence of traditional Taiwanese culture and a more modern urban style?

It can be pretty hard to restore a balance between these two sides, but after a few seasons doing this we found a formula. We’ve limited the traditional and cultural parts to the printing, and then we let the design aspect lead to the structures.

Do you find it difficult to practice sustainability in a fashion market that's really tailored towards fast fashion in many ways?

I do think that's an issue, but we have our answer. We create multi-wear products and garments. That's our solution to sustainability, limiting waste from the very beginning. We make one item of clothing that can be worn in two or three different ways. For example, we make garments such as a sleeveless dress, but it can turn into a short-sleeved top in 30 seconds. This means you can actually share with your partners, a boyfriend or girlfriend, and you can share the same pieces. Giving people more usage from a single garment means that people are keen to keep it for a much longer time.

Your SS26 collection is in line with much of your previous work - showcasing a masterful use of cutting and pattern. How have your distinctive designs evolved over the years?

A big change happened when we first began to attract an overseas market. We learnt a lot from the marketing and the audience here, it really opened our eyes. We started thinking more about different possibilities, which I think was really good. The most important thing about fashion is to bring about freshness and a free vibe. I also learned from all the different markets from all the different countries. From then on, I tried to evolve the brand into something more worldwide. Compared to before, it's more focussed on the European and US market right now. Before that, we just focused on the Taiwanese market.

Following London Fashion Week, what's next for you?

We’ve got a lot planned. We are going to Paris next for a showroom, and then we’re going back to Taiwan for Taiwan's runway. This is all going to happen within the next two weeks…

Ray Chu (RAY CHU)

This event spans from London to Taipei. Can you share some of the specific Taiwanese inspirations behind the pieces you’re presenting, and why you chose to highlight them in London?

Taiwan definitely helps a lot with shaping my designs, and I take a lot of inspiration from daily life. As you can see, some of these pieces feature Crinum lily flowers. I first noticed this flower while jogging in a park. It’s incredibly resilient, growing in many places, from parks to the shoreline, which to me reflects the life and spirit of Taiwanese people. So I took from that and then redesigned it into 3D sculptural pieces. Taiwan is also famous for textiles, and we have worked hard to use sustainable practices like many other countries in the world. One highlight is a vegan leather jacket, which is upcycled from Taiwanese tea leaves. A lot of other brands also do vegan leather materials that are cactus or pineapple-based, but I feel that the tea leaves represent Taiwanese culture. They also apply to the afternoon tea culture of London, which is why I wanted to showcase my work here.

Gender neutrality and inclusivity are strong themes in your collections. How does your identity, alongside Taiwan’s own social progress, influence the way you approach fashion?

My collections are always designed to be gender neutral, and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, that’s something I’m very proud of. Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, which is also something we celebrate.

Different designers represent Taiwanese culture in different ways. How do you interpret and translate Taiwanese heritage through your own designs, and what makes your approach unique?

There are many different ways of interpreting Taiwanese culture, but with my designs, I use more subtle references to represent Taiwan’s culture, such as fabrics, small decorative flowers or pine trees, and the tea leaves used for our vegan leathers. Whilst at the same time, some designers might use more direct references like temple culture or market scenes, but with my brand, we try to take a slightly different path to show Taiwan’s culture. Also, being Taiwanese, I feel that is already representing Taiwanese culture in a way.

Presenting at LFW gives Taiwanese fashion a global stage. How have international audiences, such as in London, interpreted your work compared to local ones?

Actually, it’s quite interesting to compare, as I also showcase in Taiwan at the same time. I find we have more audiences in London and around the world that are enthusiastic about our brand and love our pieces, whereas in Taiwan we are still working really hard to get more recognition, which is quite interesting in a way.

Jenn Lee (JENN LEE)

Which elements of Taiwanese culture do you try to weave into your designs, and how do you make these ideas engaging to an international audience?

Taiwanese culture is definitely important to me, but Western culture has also shaped my perspective a lot. I don’t overthink how my ideas will come across to audiences — instead, I focus on what I want to put out into the world. For me, that’s about spreading love and happiness. This season’s collection, for example, is centred on love and protection. Sending out that kind of positive energy through my work feels meaningful.

Your work often incorporates recycled and upcycled materials in bold and unexpected ways. How do you approach bringing these influences together?

I never started using recycled materials with the thought of “saving the Earth” in mind. It’s more that I naturally love to collect and reuse things. The leather in this collection actually comes from a vintage jacket from the ’70s or ’80s. So really, the use of recycled materials happened quite organically.

You’ve also integrated Virtual Reality into your presentations. How did that element become part of your creative process?

That actually began by accident. In 2020, during our first season at London Fashion Week, the British Fashion Council asked us to present online in a cool way because of the pandemic. We decided to experiment with VR 360. I’ve always loved to play video games, so it felt natural to bring that interest into the brand. Since the pandemic lasted for several years, VR became part of our storytelling.

You’ve spoken before about your admiration for Vivienne Westwood. Beyond her, which British designers or cultural influences do you see reflected in your work, and how do they intersect with your Taiwanese identity?

Alexander McQueen, definitely! I really love the gothic and poetic danger, the aesthetic contrast between beauty and violence has inspired me a lot. From our very first season ten years ago up to now, you’ll see those gothic inspirations in my collections. I also listen to English bands like The Prodigy. Some people in the media describe my work as having punk influences, though I don’t really think of myself that way. Maybe it’s because, being Taiwanese, there’s also a more laid-back, island energy in what I do. Still, I take it as a compliment!

If someone could take away one key message from your SS26 collection, what would you want it to be?

People today are under so much pressure, and many are struggling with stress or depression. I hope this collection can bring a sense of calm, that island vibe of Taiwan, along with love and kindness. That’s the energy I want to share.

All photos by Emily Henman

Written by Emily Henman and Hannah Breen

Edited by Co-Fashion Editor Arielle Sam-Alao