Five emerging Malaysian fashion designers to watch in 2015

From Japanese-inspired motifs to graphical wonders, these five emerging designers are set to take Malaysia to the world stage.

In the ever competitive fashion industry, being a young emerging designer is no easy feat, especially when you need to compete against established high end fashion houses from Paris, Milan, London and New York.

As of late, many organisations have started fashion funds across the globe to help push these young talents to the international platform including the LVMH Prize and the ongoing CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

When it comes to new talents, Malaysia is also making its mark with an arsenal of fashion designers slowly making their mark in the Asian region and some even spreading their influences to Europe and USA.

Here are five of the most buzzed Malaysian fashion designers of today:

Cassey Gan (http://casseygan.com/)
Soon after her graduation in London College of Fashion, the talented Cassey Gan hit her first jackpot when Vogue Italia featured her as one of the 34 designers to watch in its global edition of “Discovering Fashion’s Future Generation of Talents". Now based in Malaysia, the designer is slowly bidding her time and creativity to grow her business locally.

Known for her exquisite use of oriental motifs and unique silhouettes, she has shown her skills and aesthetics in KL Fashion Week 2014 and her designs are often seen on some of the hottest celebrities and socialites in town.

The Comoddity (http://www.thecomoddity.com/)
With a penchant in the colour-blocking trend, Vincent Siow has grown to be quite the talk of the town in the recent months. While his collection is limited to simple tops and bottoms. The trendy cuts and colour blocking applied on the designs make the collection standout from the rest in the local scene. His success is also thanks to a government grant by MyCreative Ventures, which help him launch his career to greater heights.

Recently, the designer made social media fame when renowned international blogger Bryan Boy shared an Instagram post of his visit to The Comoddity boutique in Bangsar Village.

Ving Ming (http://vingming.com/)
As one of the few new talents in shoe designing, Ving Ming has attracted much attention through his collaborations with other local designers including Hayden Koh. As a self-taught designer, Ving Ming offers an eclectic approach to shoe design, which showcases unique interpretations on classic shoe designs.

In his recent collection 'Bladerunner', Ving Ming has introduced a series of edgy and fashionable sandals for men - a new venture for this previously women's shoes-focused talent.

Pearly Wong (http://www.pearlywong.co/)
The Fashion Institute of Technology graduate started her eponymous label in 2012 and soon gained much traction through her dark and minimalistic aesthetics as seen in previous KL Fashion Weeks. In 2013, she had also won the Fashion Pitch in Malaysia, an award given to young designers to spur the creative industry in the region.

Now her collections are sold in various boutiques in Malaysia, Berlin and Singapore and she has a show scheduled in the coming Berlin Fashion Week 2015.

Silas Liew (http://silasliew.com/)
The name of this young fashion designer is no stranger to the local independent fashion scene. As a young label started in 2010, the designer and his eponymous label has come a long way with a portfolio of both menswear and womenswear. After winnning the Most Promising Designer of the Year at the Malaysia International Fashion Week 2010, Silas Liew has utilised his monetary prize in expanding his business in the local scene.

With his sleek aesthetics and play on the American sportswear look with a colourful twist, the designer has impressed many in the recent months. His latest foray into bags has also found success when Instagram were abuzzed about his hand-painted marble backpack that he introduced during KL Fashion Week 2014.

(Photos courtesy of all respective designers)

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