Asia Fashion Collection FW24 / Fall Winter 2024 at New York Fashion Week
The purpose of the Asia Fashion Collection is to discover and nurture young designers who are from Asia. Organized by Vantan and PARCO. Co. Ltd., Asia Fashion Collection / AFC FW24 debuted February 10th 2024 at NYFW showing both menswear and womenswear.
Five brands revealed their collections during the runway show. All of the brands and designers are from Asian countries.
Asia Fashion Collection (AFC) FW24 / Fall Winter 2024 presents 5 BRANDS :
1) KIYOKA HASE by Kiyoka Hase- Japan @kiyokahase
2) MIARI SHIGETA by Miari Shigeta – Japan @miari_shigeta
3) Sun Below by Naito Oikawa – Japan @sun_below
4) RE RHEE by June Bok Rhee and Hyun Jung Joo – South Korea @rerhee_official
5) YAXIN ZONE by Yahsin Chung – Taiwan @yaxin_zone
KIYOKA HASE FW24 by Kiyoka Hase – Japan
KIYOKA HASE FW24 Theme/Inspiration ‘NON-FICTION’
When everyday life becomes dull, Kiyoka Hase travels to an extraordinary world to deliver fiction through clothes. Those who fight monsters must be careful not to become monsters themselves in the process. When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you.
In a post-apocalyptic world that has been invaded, youthyouth is wandering into an unseen future fight to find their place and reason for existence, and to create their own world.
During their journey they become aware of things that they did not previously see in everyday life. At that moment, the monster becomes him/herself. Are Hase’s fictions actually fiction? The travelers question themselves and what they should be, once again. – KIYOKA HASE FW24
Brand Concept ‘FREE YOURSELF’, KIYOKA HASE proposes active wear that incorporates functionality into mode as equipment. KIYOKA HASE is a protective suit and combat uniform for those who fight against themselves every day.
Designer Profile, Born in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, 2021 Entered Bunka Fashion College – Super Designer Department, 2023 Launched own brand KIYOKA HASE
MIARI SHIGETA FW24 by Miari Shigeta – Japan
MIARI SHIGETA FW24 Theme/Inspiration ‘CYCLING TRAIL’
After the coronavirus outbreak subsided, people started to ride trains again. Even though Miari Shigeta was now free to go to various places, it was painful to see crowded trains every ride. Shigeta longed to travel to free and open spaces, imaging a girl riding a bicycle to the waterside without needing a license.
MIARI SHIGETA FW24, Inspired by cycling wear and other bicycle parts, the designer expressed the drape of a girl’s long skirt pulled up and the sparkle on the water’s surface in 3D graphics. A collection created in collaboration with illustrator “Tsuki-chan” for its main graphics and 3D modelist “aab” for the 3D graphics.
Brand Concept, Based on the concept of ‘the magic of falling in love with yourself’’, MIARI SHIGETA gifts the spice of love to active women who attract attention at parties. With graphics as the designer’s strength, the brand collaborates with various artists every season.
Designer Profile, Born in Hyogo prefecture, Japan, 2020 Entered Bunka Fashion College – Super Designer Department, 2022 Launched own brand MIARI SHIGETA, 2023 Presented MIARI SHIGETA Spring/Summer 2023 Collection.
Sun Below FW24 by Naito Oikawa – Japan
Sun Below FW24 Theme/ Inspiration
In the car on the way to the gym, Naito Oikawa observed the scenery from the car while nervously yearning for his father’s praise. The stand looks pale and deserted even though it’s still bright outside, and his father’s figure shines even though despite being old and dirty.
Brand Concept, Sun Below FW24 Inspired by the sport of boxing, the brand creates clothes that shine in various ways based on the designer’s life experience of not being able to fully realize his goals and his continued struggles.
Designer Profile, Boxing since childhood, 2018 Started working as a professional boxer after graduating from high school, 2021 Retired boxing, 2022 Obtained admission to Vantan Design Institute
RE RHEE FW24 by June Bok Rhee and Hyun Jung Joo – South Korea
RE RHEE FW24 Theme/ Inspiration ‘The Ripping Essence and Distorted Allure’
The dawn air whispers. It is humid and exhales a dark breath. Within it, there is something glittering and firmly entwined. In the momentary blindness, warmth envelops the skin. It steadies the heart.
Time during the creative process often stands still and is faced alone. At night’s end, when the work is done, a sense of both excitement and emptiness emerges. The ultimate truth that nothing can happen without depending on one another is revealed. Just like that, the infinite cycle of creating something out of nothing, and returning to nothing, is brought to light. This realization is what RE RHEE wants to convey through its very first Fashion Week Runway for RE RHEE FW24.
Since its launch, the RE RHEE brand has drawn inspiration from all of us living in present times. To all creators in the world, you are RE RHEE’s muses; this show is dedicated to you.
The brand uses fabrics that reflect the array of emotions that artists experience during their creative journey, ranging from the formidable and daunting to subtle brilliance and fleeting moments of emotion. Lace objects, sequins, leather, and more were used to merge those situations and emotions. The juxtaposition of the pristine strength of ivory and the sophistication of black, blended with point colors that highlight each individual identity are displayed throughout the collection.
Each of RE RHEE’s refined design creations has its own character and was reimagined through new styling, aiming to venture beyond the materials to the final look.
Brand Concept, RE RHEE is a designer brand that presents a harmonious blend of ‘refined luxury and restrained trends’ in its looks.
Designer Profile, 2021 Awarded the Korea Fashion Award Presidential Prize.
YAXIN ZONE FW24 by Yahsin Chung – Taiwan
YAXIN ZONE FW24 Theme/ Inspiration ‘TRANSFORMATION’
Continuing the footsteps of the previous season’s SOLO DANCE, YAXIN ZONE FW24 ‘TRANSFORMATION’ unveils unrestricted, liberated, and resolute dance movements. Drawing inspiration from cultural symbols, a gradual infusion of darkness gives rise to fresh motives and intentions, communicated through the expressive language of the body. The once pure and radiant swan transforms into silver-grey, deep grey, then ultimately flourishes into an unrestrained black swan.
Following pure passion and pain, accumulating unstoppable transformations, the transitions from pristine white to profound black unfold, resembling the oxidation process—a compelling shift in the chapters of music.
In a world solely dedicated to achieving transformations, the journey towards a closer reflection of one’s true self, embracing the process of metamorphosis, is a path to liberation.
YAXIN ZONE FW24, Apart from the series transitioning from all-white to black, the voluminous sleeve shapes symbolizing wings gradually enlarge, eventually unfolding into the transformed wings of the black swan. To portray a dynamic texture, the eight outfits in the TRANSFORMATION series utilize tweed as the primary fabric, featuring YAXIN ZONE’s signature juxtaposition technique with combinations of tweed, suedette, and denim. As a testament to support the local textile industry, the entire TRANSFORMATION series incorporates fabrics manufactured in Taiwan.
Brand Concept, YAXIN ZONE derives its name from the designer, Yahsin Chung, serving as both an extension of its identity and a representation of generations X, Y, and Z. These generational labels can be seen as frames, yet within them, we find the potential to flourish and transcend.
Inspired by diverse art forms, YAXIN ZONE encapsulates the emotions and the exploratory nature of art, translating them into garments.
Designer Profile, Obtained MSc in Marketing from Brunel University Studied Fashion Design in Parsons School of Design, 2022 Launched brand, 2023 Vancouver Fashion Week- YAXIN ZONE SS24 Runway Show.
Finale Images of Asia Fashion Collection FW24
About Asia Fashion Collection (AFC)
Asia Fashion Collection is an incubation project produced and sponsored by Vantan and PARCO CO., LTD, in partnership with other Asian affiliates. AFC provides a platform for emerging talent throughout East Asia to compete for a chance at global debut. Each Fall/Winter season, the brands that won the Tokyo preliminary debut their collections at the annual AFC’s final stage at New York Fashion Week. AFC is passionate about discovering and nurturing new talent while widening the reach in the fashion industry by fostering the growth of the continent’s most promising up-and-coming designers.
AFC’s Judges include: Kaname Murakami (WWD JAPAN Editor-in-Chief) as Chief Judge; Shota Kamiya (Manager, Women’s and Children’s Product Department, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Mitsukoshi Isetan Co., Ltd.); Yoshiro Kawasaki (LITMUS Representative Director); Shuhei Koike (TOKYO BASE Co., Ltd. STUDIOUS MENS div. BUYER); Yumi Nagao (Sister Representative); Tomoyuki Hibino (Hankyu Hanshin Department Store Co., Ltd. Hankyu Men’s Tokyo GARAGE D.EDIT Buyer); Taiga Manabe (Sixty Percent Co., Ltd. Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder); Yoshiuchi Fumiya (FASHIONSNAP.COM Editorial Committee/Director); Hiroshi Watanabe (New Star Co., Ltd. Representative Director Incubator)
https://asiafashioncollection.com/
About Vantan
Founded in 1965 with the vision of “creating the world’s closest school to society,” VANTAN fosters human resources which can be immediately applicable through “practical education”, such as classes taught by active instructors, long-term internships, and industry-academia cooperative projects in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. The institution has developed educational programs in the fields of Fashion, Hair Styling, Makeup, Beauty, Graphic Design, Film, Photography, Game Design, Animation, Patisserie, Cafe management, Programming, Creating in the Entertainment field, Influencing, and Producing. VANTAN has produced approximately 200,000 graduates to date.
Notable alumni include: Kunihiko Morinaga (Designer/Owner, 2019 LVMH finalist ANREALAGE), Kanako Takase (Makeup Artist), and Daiki Suzuki (Owner/Designer, Engineered Garments)
About PARCO CO.,LTD.
Since the establishment of Ikebukuro PARCO in 1969, its mission has been to cultivate and showcase culture in all forms. While the company’s core DNA is Fashion, it has extended across numerous categories to include Music, Visual Arts, and Theater, while bringing a splash of color to consumer culture as a whole. These initiatives have established PARCO as a leader in creative workspaces, attracting an abundance of talent that amplifies a creative circle which continues to drive forward and pave the way for the next cultural movement.
All images Asia Fashion Collection / AFC FW24 / Fall Winter 2024 by AFC
Credits to
PR/Beauty Acquisition & Creative: New York Tokyo
Show Production: KuRoKo Inc.
Casting: Eric Cano
Hair: Aubrey Loots Hair for Wella Professionals
Makeup: Michelle Webb for Augment using Burn Beauty
Photography: Fernando Colon