Ask someone to name an Asian-American designer, and chances are they’ll begin with one of the two who have been famous since the 1980s: Anna Sui or Vera Wang. The pair’s groundbreaking presence went on to shape a second wave of designers, all of whom rose to prominence in the mid- to late-’00s and whose names might also come to mind. Brands like Jason Wu, Altuzarra, 3.
You could say we’re now firmly in wave three, as the number of Asian-American–helmed labels has grown exponentially, thanks in part to earlier generations who incrementally increased our visibility. From buzzy new luxury lines like Peter Do to gender-fluid, sustainable streetwear-meets-media labels like Bobblehaus, these brands combine millennial and Gen Z sensibilities to rethink what it means to be Asian-American or Pacific Islander.