Groundbreaking platform empowers Asian American designers in fashion

NEW YORK (PIX11) -- As we celebrate AAPI Month, we take a look at Asian consumers in the fashion industry. 

Asians are a key sector in the apparel and personal luxury goods market. Asian consumers shop both at home and in major cities abroad. However, only 4% of designers at major global fashion weeks are of Asian descent. "Asian New York Fashion Week" is a platform to help Asian designers promote their work. 

PIX11 News spoke with two fashion designers who are showcasing their creations with the help of Asian New York Fashion Week: Izza and her "One 10 Collection" and Archana Patel and her line, "Fierce by AP." 

"Whenever I design something, it's always a collaboration between a client and myself," said Izza. "There is a great satisfaction and working with a client from start to finish."

"The Asian community really needed (this platform), so I’m so happy we have one," said Patel. 

Fashion is an important driver of the global economy. It’s a nearly 2 trillion-dollar industry, and the U.S. and China are the two largest retail markets. While Asian American and Pacific Islanders are wielding their purchasing power in being major buyers of luxury fashion brands, Izza, Archana, and Asian models are not who you’d normally see at the forefront of the fashion world.

While Asian consumers account for nearly 50 percent of total global sales when it comes to luxury goods, the number of Asian designers and models at fashion weeks worldwide is a fraction compared to the number of their non-Asian counterparts.

"A lot of times Asian designers are not really given the platform to showcase their designs," said Izza.

"It brings very much an awareness to the world that these designers do have great ideas, " adds Patel. 

Enter Asian New York Fashion Week. It's a groundbreaking platform dedicated to changing the underrepresentation of existing and emerging Asian American designers. It runs concurrently with New York Fashion Week with a focus on giving Asian designers maximum exposure.

"I really love the platform," said Patel.   "It’s all focused on enabling these designers, for instance, allowing me to have the chance to express my designs, it’s a big deal."

The designers put on a mini-fashion show for PIX11 at Fushimi Restaurant in Times Square.  The business is a major supporter of Asian New York Fashion Week. Their General Manager, Barry Huang, explains why he feels it’s important to back the platform.  "As an Asian business, we wanted to support the Asian market as well as the Asian brand," said Huang.   "We want to give our support and hope that we can grow bigger as a community."

Patel and Izza are both New Jersey-based designers.  Izza has been designing for over a decade, and her line specializes in evening wear and weddings.  "A lot of my clients are women who like to wear something different, not off the racks," said Izza. "She is a woman who knows what she wants and is also not afraid to take risks in terms of the design, and I always like to have the design reflect who the person is."

Patel has been sketching since she was a child. "I’ve wanted to be a designer forever because I really love fashion," said Patel.  "I’m very brand new in this area, but at the same time, my thought process is very old," adds the emerging designer.  "I have a lot of ideas, I have a lot of love for fabrics from all around the world." 

Both will be unveiling collections at the next Asian New York Fashion Week. The next Asian New York Fashion Week will be held this coming September from the 11th to the 16th.