Taipei has been being surrounded by all sorts of fashion elements since October. You are able to see the key visual of SS23 < Meet> almost everywhere in Taipei, whether they are light boxes in metro stations, posters on streets, and flags hanging on street lights. The visual is two women wearing the garments designed by Yuma Taru and Justin Chou. Their design manifests dynamics of the beauty of indigenous crafts and modern fashion. The hidden history of culture in the visual indicates the encounter between Dutch people and Taiwan indigenous habitants. They learned the European cross-stitch from these Dutch people. Then they met Japanese during Japanese occupation era, and knew how to make headwear with kimono sense. Now, we are in the 21st century, these indigenous artisans inheriting the crafts from their ancestors, encounter fashion designers living in a modern city. Together, they create original works of Taiwan fashion. They prove that the process of fashion evolution is actually the result of cultural encounters time after time.

It includes the introduction of five “National Living Treasures”, who devoting their whole life to indigenous clothing culture. The five artisans are from Seediq, Atayal, Kavalan, and Paiwan. They are going to present 50 garments with another five contemporary fashion designers, and guide fashion fanatics to walk through the time corridor, and witness the origin of fashion of this island, and leave a significant record in Taiwan fashion history.

14 brands participate SS23 fashion week, and they are #DAMUR、be homme、C JEAN、DOUCHANGLEE、GIOIA PAN、INF、JENN LEE、Liyu Tsai、oqLiq、Seivson、Story Wear、UUIN、WANGLILING、Yentity. In addition, many people look forward to seeing the “New Breed” show , and the young talents’ works are available on the runway as well. These young talents include “BOO”, winner of 2018 fashion design new comer, “PCES”, grand prize winner of 2021 Hong Kong Redress Design Award, and “WEI. TZU-YUAN”, SS22 Taipei Fashion Week New Talent. Ministry of Education gave a tremendous support during the run-up of Taipei Fashion Week as well, the campus audition campaign launched last March, and gathered the top three and most popular works from the graduation shows of universities with departments of fashion education, such as Shih Chien University, Fu Jen Catholic University, and Shu-Te University. In addition, there are works of the winners of Kaohsiung Fashion Design Award and Taiwan Fashion Design Award. All these creative works become a diverse and vibrant “Young Talent” show, and the public is able to appreciate the strong dynamic force of design.

Taipei Fashion Week launched a select shop last year during the event, and received a very positive response. TFW collaborates with Breeze Couture this season, and is going to launch an exclusive select shop again from 10/14 to 11/30. Breeze Couture is located on Daan Road, Taipei City, this road is regarded as a cradle of nurturing Taiwan fashion designers. Fashion pioneers such as Isabelle Wen and Jamei Chen both have a boutique store here. Many Taiwan design brands are going to be in the space of Breeze Couture this season. Breeze Group will assist designers to upload their works on E-commerce websites, and intend to have a contractual relationship with brands which are willing to be in Breeze Couture on a long-term basis after TFW, and introduce them to suitable overseas fashion buyers. By doing so, Breeze Couture truly achieves to have Taiwan fashion liaise with international market, and helps creators have more resources.

Moreover, there is a “Fashion Designer Exhibition” at Warehouse No.3 in Songshan Cultural Park. You are able to appreciate all the works from the winner of MOE Scholarship for overseas studies, “Co-fashion”, “New Breed”, “Young Talent” and special exhibition of Ms. Pan, Dai-Li. All these works are worth of being admired for all fashion fanatics.