We've long been accustomed to Western and European influences dominating pop culture and fashion. However, in recent years, Asian cultures have made profound impacts. They have steadily carved out their own distinctive niches. K-pop and anime have exploded in popularity, showcasing the nuanced aesthetics of traditional and contemporary Asian design. Chinese social media platforms like Douyin (Chinese TikTok) and Little Red Book (Xiao Hong Shu) are also driving this cultural shift, further amplifying Asia's influence. These platforms are shaping global trends and influencing consumer behaviour.
As you explore this list of Asian menswear brands, you'll find yourself immersed in a new world of fashion. There's no mere mimicking of Western styles; instead, it is a pioneering of unique and innovative approaches ripe for exploration and appreciation.
Post Archive Faction (PAF), a South Korean brand founded in 2018, is known for its utilitarian garments made from performance-specific materials. However, labelling it simply as an outdoor brand would not do it justice. PAF offers more than practical clothing, which likely led to it being shortlisted for the LVMH Prize in 2021.
The brand has showcased at Paris Fashion Week and launched a collaboration with Off-White, partnering with the late Virgil Abloh. Its "left, right and centre" approach to collections stands out the most, inspired by South Korea's political system. Each collection features a numbering system, indicating updates to previous models and designs.
Established in 2021 by Kartik Kumar, Kartik Research is an artisanal brand based in New Delhi, India. With a mission to "reintroduce humanness into clothing," it counters fast fashion's overproduction by prioritising craftsmanship and quality. Its collection showcases a human touch, with handcrafted shirting and quilts dyed using plants and herbs. Each piece bears hand-stitched embroidered details, embodying uniqueness and imperfection. Kartik Research strives to revive forgotten Indian craftsmanship, offering a blend of heritage and contemporary aesthetics.
Each collection draws inspiration from a subculture within India's heritage. The latest Autumn/Winter 2024 collection titled "Delhi-Jodhpur", explores the fractured dialogue of India. The collection blends emotional connections to India's past with optimism for its future. Shot at a sandstone mine in Jodhpur, it symbolises this dialogue, juxtaposing the aesthetic utopia of the past with the realities of modern commerce.
After graduating from Central Saint Martins in London, Taiga Takahashi moved to New York to hone his skills. Starting with cloth and textile, he expanded his practice to include sculpture, architecture, installation, and performance. Takahashi's work embodies a philosophy inspired by the ancient Japanese sense of beauty, refined through time and historical relics.
Describing himself as a "sartorial archaeologist," he draws inspiration from his extensive archive of American garments spanning the 18th to 20th centuries. In his designs, he transforms elements from these archives with each garment telling its own unique story.
In his art, cloth serves as a canvas where craft, design, history, and art converge seamlessly. This concept drove him to found his label T.T Gion in New York in 2017, and later established an integrated Kyoto-based art space and Tea Ceremony in December 2021.
Unfortunately, Takahashi passed away unexpectedly in the spring of 2022. His team continues his legacy, designing garments that draw from the past, are made for the present, and will endure into the future.
Doublet, the streetwear brand founded by Masayuki Ino in 2012, won the LVMH Grand Prize in 2018. Its debut Spring/Summer collection was unveiled in 2013, featuring casual daily wear infused with a sense of uniqueness. The novelty and unique details enhance the avant-garde and distinctly Japanese character of its designs.
The brand has showcased its collections at Tokyo Fashion Week and, as of summer 2022, Paris Fashion Week. Doublet has 25 stockists worldwide including Dover Street Market. Despite the fast-growing presence of the brand, it manages to maintain its relatively underground presence.
In 2016, Liu Dan Xia (Dan) and Shan Peng Wong (Shan) founded Danshan. The design duo strive to disregard gender archetypes and instead explore what is beneath the façade of machoism and strength. Danshan delves into the nuanced aspects of contemporary male existence, dissecting the evolution of male body language and investigating methods to imbue a masculine silhouette with femininity, all while respecting the traditional boundaries of menswear.
Growing up during the era of the "Single Child policy" in China, where sons were often favoured, Dan was raised as a boy by her family until the age of 12 due to societal pressures. Her unorthodox upbringing profoundly influences the brand's ethos, manifesting in garments crafted from "softer" fabrics traditionally associated with femininity.
Launched in 2021 by designer Hung La, Lựu Đạn emerged during the George Floyd protests and Stop Asian Hate movement. The brand delves into the intricacies of Asian identity, symbolised by its name, which combines "pomegranate" and "bullet" in Vietnamese to signify a "dangerous man." Embracing rich-coloured palettes, nostalgic prints, and bold silhouettes, Lựu Đạn pays homage to heritage while celebrating new legacies within its community. Celebrities like Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, K-pop idols such as Felix (Stray Kids) and Heesung (Enhypen) have been spotted wearing Lựu Đạn.
Born and raised in Taiwan, Peng Tai graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2017 and moved to Paris. His eponymous brand actively explores the relationship between nature, humans, and cities, featuring two distinct lines: the main line and the "meditation room." His design philosophy, deeply rooted in the ancient Chinese principles of yin-yang and the five elements, seeks a precise balance.
Incorporating the five elements—earth, wood, metal, fire, and water—Peng Tai aims to achieve harmony through balanced design. The meditation room line leverages the power of Chinese medicine, using fabrics dyed with Chinese herbal medicine to blend traditional wisdom with contemporary fashion.
Established in 2019 by Danish streetwear enthusiast Tobias Billetoft and Korean designer Sangchan Lee, HGBB STUDIO seamlessly blends regional influences, reflecting their shared ideals. The collections are rooted in utilitarian shapes, enhanced with stylistic flourishes in fabric and detail.
HGBB STUDIO aims to transcend the "visual expression" of established brands by addressing rapidly changing trends and catering to a trend-oriented generation. They strive to carve out a unique identity through diverse projects and collaborations with independent partners.
Phyn Studio epitomises contemporary streetwear with its effortlessly cool vibe and a focus on gender fluidity, crafted by designer Phoenix Tan. Recently, the brand partnered with Levi’s for an upcycle denim workshop, transforming old denim into unique accessories. Tan also curates projects like Morph by Phyn, which deconstructs and reconstructs objects into new forms. Additionally, Phyn Studio collaborated on a capsule line for the 2022 Hennessy x NBA partnership.
Josh Tirados, a Filipino-born, Singapore-based designer and multidisciplinary artist, debuted his gender-neutral label last year with the collection 01-Anino. Working with deadstock fabrics, Tirados handcrafts nearly all his garments. His creations are often characterised as romantic workwear with subtle sensuality, influenced by his background in the Japanese dance form Butoh. They showcase neutral earthy tones, meticulous tailoring, and rustic textures. Alongside his clothing line, Tirados also designs his own jewellery and accessories.
