As a lover and avid follower of all things fashion, style, and trends, I have taken note of a few designers making an explosive entrance into their corresponding markets. One thing these groundbreaking artists have in common is their shared AAPI heritage.
The month of May is AAPI (Asian-American Pacific-Islander) heritage month, where we celebrate and acknowledge all of the contributions, histories, and cultures of AAPI individuals and communities. The theme for this year's celebration was “Advancing Leaders through Opportunity”. The latest AAPI designers are inarguably leaders in their own right and are trying to make a concrete name for themselves, similar to that Vera Wang and Jason Wu.
A recent article in Harper’s Bazaar classifies these new fashion designers as “the third wave” of AAPI trendsetters and explains how “the number of Asian-American–helmed labels have grown exponentially, thanks in part to earlier generations who incrementally increased our visibility” (Harper’s Bazaar). Some designers in particular they felt were noteworthy are “buzzy new luxury lines like Peter Do to gender-fluid, sustainable streetwear-meets-media labels like Bobblehaus” (Harper’s Bazaar).
I have yet to try these new designers but based on the media surrounding Peter Do, I will probably explore his line first. I am partial to streetwear lines and I have a personal goal of becoming more earth-conscious with my fashion choices (I highly recommend you do as well). Do developed his line under his name with his friends, Lydia Sukato, Vincent Ho, An Nguyen, and Jessica Wu. He is Vietnamese and a minimalist who draws upon his own life experiences to inspire his designs. Do is known for “highly desirable, sleek, luxe creations” that “reference his cultural heritage and upbringing” (Harper’s Bazaar).
Pictured here is the custom look he designed for AAPI rapper Johnny Suh at the 2022 Met Gala. With his cultural inspiration and unique vision for clothing design, I understand the hype surrounding Peter Do!
Which AAPI designer did you support this month?!🛍️
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