Best Fashion Moments of 2022

The Reflection Issue
Written By Rommie Pintatham

Now that the year is wrapping up, we’re sure that everyone is spending the holidays relaxing and reminiscing on everything that’s happened this year. In conjunction with this month’s theme of “reflection”, we have curated and narrowed down our favourite developments in fashion this year starring some very inspirational AAPI individuals. Enjoy!

1) Guo Pei: Couture Fantasy

Guo Pei’s “Couture Fantasy” exhibit makes this list as one of the most exquisite “fashion moments” of 2022 as it showcases the work of one of the industry’s most creative Asian designers. The exhibit ran from April to November and was housed at the Legion of Honour fine arts museum in San Francisco. Here, 80 of Guo Pei’s designs, spanning a period of her last 20 years as a couturier, was put on display to show the evolution and the range of her work. The majority of the pieces were also from her most important collections, as seen on runways in Beijing and Paris. The exhibit was intended to portray Guo Pei’s journey as one of the leading designers that have made China an emerging presence in the fashion industry.

Known as one of the first couturiers from China, Guo Pei’s work has a certain uniqueness that can be regarded as instantly recognizable on every runway. With the use of intricate embroidery and exquisite craftsmanship, Guo Pei’s designs can be regarded as a perfect blend of high fashion and art. From her pieces, it is clear that she draws her inspiration from China’s imperial past, European architecture/structure and art decor to create pieces that are flamboyant, extravagant and memorable.

2) Honouring Issey Miyake

We can’t celebrate the successes of AAPI individuals in the fashion industry in 2022 without honouring the death and legacy of Japanese designer Issey Miyake. 

Sadly, Issey Miyake, also known as the “master of pleats” or the “designer’s designer”, passed away this year in August. Many may recognize him for his perfumes, his brand “Pleats Please” and his “Bao Bao” bags. However, his mission to create “clothes for living” that liberated the body from the construction of clothing was his most recognizable philosophy in the industry. “Pleats Please” perfectly portrayed this mission as it was a brand that incorporated engineering, sculpture and structure into its designs. Since the textile’s creation in the 90’s, his pleat designs were created using heat-pressed micro folds that were light, elegant, minimalist and most importantly, fun! 

This element of fun and liberation can be seen in his SS20 fashion show where models wearing his pleated pieces can be seen “bouncing around” the runway. This element in his shows creates an atmosphere of joy and “silliness” (if you will) in an industry that can be quite hostile and restricting at times. Despite his unfortunate passing, it’s evident that Miyake’s contributions to the industry will continue to impact his brand and legacy for many years to come. His vision for clothing was revolutionary in every way and his mission to change societal pressures on fashion will resonate with every existing and up-and-coming designer in the industry for a very long time.

Watch the SS20 show here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTaLR6LNYHo&ab_channel=fashionvideos)

3) Vogue Thailand Gala 2022

Although this event isn’t entirely reserved for 2022 alone, we still need to speak about the Vogue Thailand Gala and its impact in encouraging the use of Thai silk fabric in design and fashion on a global scale.

To provide some context, Thai silk is very culturally significant to Thailand and has been the main textile used in traditional Thai clothing for several centuries. However, in the modern day, Thai silk is unable to compete with modern fabrics due to its slow production time and its lack of being incorporated in modern styles. In order to support local weavers and producers of genuine Thai silk, Vogue Thailand has started hosting galas to auction off designer products that have been made with Thai silk.

This year, their 8th year through the Vogue Thailand Gala, brands such as Coccinelle, MCM, Christian Louboutin, Sirivannavari Bangkok and more have created highly exclusive items to be auctioned off at the Gala to aid in the promotion of Thai silk fabric in the fashion industry. All items are made entirely of Thai silk and can only be bought at the annual gala.

Below are some items that were included in the auction this year:

4) Prabal Gurung for the 2022 Met Gala: “In America: An Anthology of Fashion”

Nepalese-American designer Prabal Gurung was also responsible for some very iconic and memorable fashion moments this year. Especially, at the 2022 Met Gala under the theme, “In America: An Anthology of Fashion”. Among the many celebrities he designed for, from Mindy Kaling to Michelle Yeoh, his most iconic look that evening has to go to Quannah Chasinghorse. Chasinghorse is a model and First Nations activist who decided to pay homage to Indigenous groups with her interpretation of the “In America” dress code at this years gala. 

Gurung’s hand-pleated aqua dress acted as the centrepiece for the look. However, it was the use of jewelry, made by Antelope Women’s Designs, that created a coherent look that paid tribute to Indigenous communities. The jewelry was made from ethically-sourced materials that are known to hold value within Indigenous communities, such as porcupine quills, to effectively portray Chasinghorse’s intention of wearing an authentic look to the Gala.

5) Celine Kwan’s debut at PFW22

If we can thank 2022 for anything fashion-related this year, we only have to look as far as putting Hong-Kong designer, Celine Kwan, on the map. Having just graduated at Central Saint Martins last year, Kwan made her debut showcase at Paris Fashion Week (PFW) this year. 

Her graduate collection, which was also showcased at PFW, is described as a “living room utopia”. Inspired by 70’s futurism and the “space race” style, Kwan created a collection that resembled or incorporated everyday home furniture items such as “vase boots” or “pillow skirts”. As mentioned in an interview with Lifestyle Asia, Kwan wanted to bring “colour, energy and wonder” into her collection especially, when she was creating it under the COVID-19 pandemic. To combat the bleak and lifeless atmosphere of the pandemic, she took inspiration from her indoor life and interior design to create a “living room utopia” that could bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Having just achieved all of this at such a young age, we can’t wait to see what Celine Kwan will create next in the new year!

Rommie Pintatham

Rommie (she/her) was born and raised in Thailand and currently undergoing her Master’s degree in Fashion Journalism and Editorial Direction in London. She is passionate about incorporating her background and culture into fashion media to amplify the Southeast Asian perspective within the industry. In her free time, she loves listening to Taylor Swift, trying new restaurants with her friends, and flicking through Architectural Digest.

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