Meet history-making haute couturier Robert Wun: he just became the first Hong Kong designer at Paris
More recently, Florence Pugh’s red-bride ensemble at the Critics’ Circle Film Awards and Lizzo’s golden gown at the Brits created a buzz among fans. So, here’s what we know about the Hong Kong maestro whose designs are taking over Hollywood:He studied fashion in London
Wun studied womenswear and earned his degree from one of the industry’s most well-known institutes, the London College of Fashion.
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In 2014, within two years of graduating, the designer launched his eponymous label with the help of an anonymous investor, according to the Financial Times. Now, the company belongs solely to Wun and his sister who helped buy out the investor, per the same source.
The London-based designer has since made a name for himself in the industry, with his designs catching the eye of several celebrity stylists. As a result, his geometric and futuristic silhouettes have been worn by the likes of Celine Dion, Solange, Lady Gaga and Doja Cat, to name but a few.The collection that changed it all
Despite his brand being well-known in the industry and a favourite among celebs, Wun had yet to hold a fashion show in the eight years since the launch of his label.
Wun’s pieces may have been a success on the red carpet and in music videos but he’s had little to no support from fashion institutes, he told the Financial Times. “When it comes to being on the [fashion week] schedule or being on a certain radar, I just was never lucky enough,” he added.
It wasn’t until 2021, when Wun launched his autumn/winter collection, Armour, that things really began to pick up. According to Vogue, the collection is a tribute to his grandmother and the women in his life. The designer used fabric that emulated metal to give the guise of an armour and his grandmother’s favourite, the swallow bird, as a common motif in the collection, he told Vogue India.
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The designer, being a one-man team back then, shot the look book for Armour himself with his phone, LED lights and a makeshift photography set in his own kitchen, per the FT.
The collection received huge amounts of press coverage and Wun was finally beginning to gain more recognition in the industry – so much so that, according to the same source, demand for Armour was so high he couldn’t launch a new collection for the next three seasons!
How he got his first show at Paris Haute Couture
A true testament to his talents, the Hong Kong-born designer was awarded the Prix Spécial and a cheque for US$105,000 (100,000 euros) at the ANDAM 2022, a French fashion award that provides financial support to up-and-coming fashion designers.
In addition to the much-coveted award and cash prize, Wun also got a year of mentoring from Chanel’s president of fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, who’s also the president of FHCM (Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion).
With Pavlovsky’s support, Wun applied for the Haute Couture Official Calendar and his application received unanimous approval by a board of 25 luxury brand CEOs including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and others. It was settled that Robert Wun would be closing the Paris Haute Couture Week 2023.
He channelled his feelings of fear and anxiety into his runway debut
When Wun received the invitation to showcase his talent at Paris Haute Couture 2023, he had three months to design and assemble an entire collection.
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Amazingly enough, the designer managed to channel his insecurity into his collection and titled it “Fear”. The collection is inspired by the typical fashion accidents – broken heels, spilled wine stains, the moment a pearl necklace breaks – resulting in a collage of fashion horror stories.
And it’s not the first time Wun has taken inspiration from everyday life. Nature and the people around him have helped create sculpted, geometric looks that always appear to be a touch away from reality and escapism.
Femininity and female empowerment are also core to Wun’s designs. Robert Wun’s “woman” is described as a “crazy b*tch living in another dimension who’s powerful, controversial and owns every room,” the designer told Vogue.
He advocates for representation and diversity
Being from Hong Kong and growing up in London, Wun has learned to embrace and celebrate his heritage. He’s also familiar with the challenges that come with becoming a person of colour in the fashion industry.
He previously told Vogue that one of his aims as a fashion designer was to dismantle the systemic racism in the industry and the challenges that come with it, from racial stereotypes to colourism.
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He believes the industry needs to be held accountable for its use of diversity as a token. “Why not put diverse people in key positions and give them real power? That way, you can truly celebrate them and not just tick a box,” he added in his interview with British Vogue.
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