Voices of Vision: An Interview with Taiwan’s Rising Designers 

This season at London Fashion Week, four Taiwanese designers — Infdark, Apujan, Ray Chu, and Jenn Lee — brought bold perspectives from Taipei to the global stage. Each collection told a story of heritage meeting innovation, where cultural roots intertwined with contemporary edge. In exclusive interviews, they share the inspirations, challenges, and visions shaping this collection.

The Interview

Infdark, when you show in London, a city that loves revolutions, does it give you more freedom or more pressure?

Infdark: To perform in two places, we use very different core inspirations because the culture is really different, and we’re trying to actually be as close to every audience in a different culture. So we do slightly adjust the different ways of performance, but I would say the brand spirit and the branding are the same.

What was your inspiration behind this new collection?

This collection is actually really interesting because I think every designer should be challenging the golden age at least once in their life. After 16 years, we finally decided to do this challenge because before, I was afraid I didn’t have the cuts or the material to really make it.

After all the experiences we had in London, Taipei, or Paris, I think it’s about time we presented this collection. We did it in an 80s vibe. The most important thing is we twisted it with modern touches, so it feels both modern and nostalgic.

Apujan, what story are you telling in London for SS26?

This show is different from our previous collections. We just wanted to show different kinds of textile, taken from different subjects. All the subjects are older stories about literature, imagination, fantasy, or science fiction about time flying.

How much of Taiwan do you implement in all your work?

It’s difficult to separate because we buy the material from different countries. We find wool from the UK and China, cashmere from Mongolia, silk from Japan, and some fabrics we develop in Taiwan. So our clothes are made from different countries.

Ray Chu, you have been creating gender-fluid fashion before the industry caught on. What do people still miss about it?

All my friends, models, group campaigns, and certain brands have gender fluidity, but I feel like the ratio is not too high and that is something we can definitely work on more.

Back to my brand, as I am part of the LGBTQ+ community, I always like that visibility. I want this type of reputation to be seen — put on a runway campaign or through daily life.

Could you share the concept that guided this season’s designs?

It is a mix of Spring/Summer 25 and Fall/Winter 25. The 3D sculptural flower summer theme is an oncidium lily that you see a lot throughout Southeast Asia. I found that flower when I was jogging, and I incorporated it because it’s quite resilient. This vibe reflects the people in Taiwan because we have to be super strong — we are a small country, and resilience allows the world to see us.

London has its own queer fashion history. How does showing here shift or amplify your work?

London has a rich history and beautiful culture. I feel like it definitely helped me with building my brand here. As I am from Taiwan, this brings another perspective, and until recently Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage. I feel like showcasing here could also show Taiwanese people that this is already happening around the world. Some people there are still not open, and I want to help create more awareness.

Image Source : Press Office

Jenn Lee, what story or idea shaped the vision for this collection?

The love and protection. We used gothic as our element. Gothic is kind of scary, right? But we’re not trying to bring the horror idea to the audience. The reason we use gothic is because my son — I have a four-year-old son — loves these kinds of horror characters, and I just felt that those weird characters are very special in society.

We also used eastern literature, specifically Dream of the Red Chamber, as a symbol of romanticism. It represents cherishing nature and bringing out your childish mind.

If someone steps out head to toe in Jenn Lee, what message are they carrying into the world?

Love, freedom, and kindness.

Their voices converge in a shared pursuit: to make Taiwanese design seen, understood, and celebrated on an international stage. As London Fashion Week continues to evolve into a space for cultural exchange, these rising visionaries remind us that true innovation lies in authenticity — in crafting stories that transcend place yet never lose their sense of origin.