Featuring four of Taiwan’s leading creatives, the event fused innovative design with cultural storytelling, underscoring the country’s growing influence on the global fashion stage.
Set within an intimate space, the presentation paired contemporary collections with elements of Taiwanese hospitality: guests were served bao buns from acclaimed London restaurant Bao alongside artisanal teas, creating a multi-sensory experience that reflected the depth and richness of the culture behind the clothes.
Apu Jan, Jen Lee, Ray Chu, and INFDark each demonstrated a distinct design language, yet shared a common thread: a meticulous approach to construction, a forward-thinking use of textiles, and a deep connection to Taiwanese identity. These were not simply clothes for the runway, they were expressions of place, history, and future ambition.
The island nation located in East Asia, off the southeastern coast of China, is renowned for its natural beauty, cuisine such as bubble tea and street food, and manufacturing chips for smartphones and laptops. Taiwan has a longstanding reputation for textile innovation, strong environmental values, and a new generation of designers who are shaping a fresh, contemporary narrative. This showcase was not just about gaining visibility, it was about forging lasting creative relationships with global fashion capitals like London.
This connection to the London fashion scene is central to the designers’ ambitions. Showing at Fashion Week is more than an international debut; it’s a chance to enter into dialogue with one of the world’s most dynamic fashion cultures, and to position Taiwanese fashion as both globally relevant and culturally grounded.
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of her label, Jen Lee describes her work as deeply personal and emotionally charged. One of her earliest garments, created during a period of depression, was a dress adorned with beadwork symbolising the body and flowing blood, a metaphor for heartbreak. Years later, after the birth of her son, her work started reflecting a shift in emotional perspective. A newer piece features a zipper element that represents the flow of love, a visual marker of healing and transformation. “My son inspires my designs,” she says. “The gothic element is still there, but it doesn’t always have to represent anger,” she adds with a smile, adding that her four-year-old is a fan of this aesthetic.
This balance between emotional storytelling and bold visual language is part of what makes Jen Lee’s work resonate in international contexts. Her connection to London, especially the street style around Shoreditch where she lives sometimes, continues to shape her aesthetic. “Every time I come, I feel inspired,” she says. “Even on the street, people are so cool. I love this kind of vibe, this youth culture element. It inspires me a lot.”
Lee collaborated with a 75-year-old qipao master, a rare keeper of traditional Eastern garment-making techniques. The method involves meticulous hand sewing, the use of starch for shaping, and the tying of each knot entirely by hand. “He wants to pass on his expertise to the next generation, and now I feel I have that responsibility too,” she says. Reflecting on Taiwanese cultural identity, Lee adds, “We have a kind of chill vibe. People are so stressed and tight these days, but Taiwan is an island surrounded by ocean. I think that kind of energy can be shared with the world.”
Apu Jan, whose label APUJAN was first shown at London Fashion Week over a decade ago, sees the event as more than just a showcase: it’s a global meeting point. “I studied here, and London Fashion Week became the way we communicate with people from different cities and countries,” he tells Beast. “It’s how we gather opportunities.” One of those opportunities came in the form of a collaboration with Samsung, who approached the brand to design uniforms for Samsung Global.
This spirit of connection lies at the heart of Apujan’s ambitions. “We want to reach more people, gather more resources, and share our story in a more communicative way,” he explains. For him, storytelling is essential, not only to his brand but to the growing voice of Taiwanese fashion on the world stage.
“In the past, Taiwan focused heavily on textile manufacturing. But over the last 10 years, there’s been a shift — more designers are focusing on building fashion labels, creating an emerging culture rooted in techniques we’ve had for generations,” he says. Taiwan’s factories, he adds, have long produced garments for major international brands. “They have so much experience that we can learn from. And now, it’s time to tell our own story.”
Having lived across London — in Brixton, Victoria, Shepherd’s Bush, and Bethnal Green — Apujan draws inspiration from the city’s diversity. “I think every place in London has something to offer,” he reflects. It’s a sentiment that echoes in his designs: rooted in Taiwanese craft, but shaped by global movement and cross-cultural exchange.
Ray Chu’s designs are shaped by a blend of personal experience and regional inspiration. For one recent piece, Chu incorporated 3D-printed flowers inspired by the Crinum Lily, a plant commonly found across East Asia. “It kind of echoes the people of Taiwan. We need to be resilient to let the world see us.”
At London Fashion Week, Chu values the diversity of expression it allows. “It’s super creative, [with a] wide range of designers with different aesthetics,” he says.
Although based in Taiwan, Chu visits London frequently and has close ties to the city. “I have friends here,” he says. He also sees fashion as a way to represent Taiwanese culture.
Where Ray Chu draws from Taiwan’s natural beauty, designer Kuo Wei of INFDark looks to cultural memory and subcultural aesthetics, blending influences from Taiwan’s creative scene.
The brand’s latest collection takes a bold step back in time. “The season’s key word should be ‘80s, we are drawing inspiration from this time period,” Kuo Wei explains to Beast. “We’re not trying to just recover the ’80s, we’re trying to blend with modern touches to shape a new direction, showing retro and the future at the same time.”
He adds: “I believe all designers should do it at some point in their career, because the decade represents diversity, possibilities, and freedom.”
At the core of every INFDark collection is a strong connection to home. “Every collection contains Taiwanese culture — it’s going to always be part of the collections.” And showing in London, he says, only strengthens that connection. “London is a fusion of all kinds of cultures. That’s the spirit of Taiwan as well.”
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