Paris Fashion Week became the setting for a fresh conversation between Asian and European creativity. NEXT ASIA brought designers and emerging talent together, taking the conversation beyond the runway.
Paris Fashion Week has long been a meeting point for fashion’s biggest names, emerging designers and creative voices from around the world. This year, NEXT ASIA joined that conversation with a debut focused on bringing Asian and European creative communities closer together.
On 30 September 2026, NEXT ASIA made its Paris Fashion Week debut at Hôtel Le Marois, bringing together designers, emerging talent, fashion education, media and industry professionals from across Asia and Europe.
NEXT ASIA’s first Paris event was built around a simple idea: creative exchange should work both ways. Rather than seeing Paris simply as a destination for Asian designers entering the European fashion scene, the platform aims to create opportunities for creative communities across both regions to meet, collaborate and build lasting connections.
From Asia to Europe, and from Europe to Asia
NEXT ASIA brings together Fashion · Design · Culture through runway presentations, designer showcases, creative dialogue and emerging talent initiatives. Its first Paris edition created a space for established and emerging voices to meet, share ideas and explore new creative connections.
But the vision goes beyond one fashion week. With Paris, Beijing, Seoul and Milan as key hubs, NEXT ASIA is looking to build a longer-term network for designers, brands and creative talent.
For emerging brands, being part of an international fashion event is about more than being seen on the runway. It can also open doors to media, industry professionals, educational institutions and potential partners. NEXT ASIA brings these opportunities into the conversation alongside the fashion itself.
BEQUEENSTORY Brings New Modern Italian Romanticism to Paris
One of the brands presented during the Paris debut was BEQUEENSTORY, which brought its interpretation of contemporary fashion and New Modern Italian Romanticism to the runway.
Drawing inspiration from Italian romantic aesthetics, the brand explores modern femininity, individual expression and elegance through a contemporary design language. Its Paris appearance introduced this creative identity to an international fashion audience while providing an opportunity to connect with media and industry professionals.
For NEXT ASIA, supporting brands with distinctive creative perspectives is part of its wider work to help designers explore international markets and develop professional relationships.
A Spotlight on Korean Fashion: The Collaboration with DEEP INDIGO SECTION
The inaugural edition also highlighted contemporary Korean fashion through the participation of SOODAL COMPANY and KIMOUI.
The event was developed in collaboration with DEEP INDIGO SECTION, a Korea-based fashion content project focused on discovering emerging designers across Asia, particularly in Korea, China and Japan.
Through visual documentation, storytelling, PR and ongoing content creation, DEEP INDIGO SECTION works to support designers in developing longer-term international communication and visibility. Its involvement added another layer to NEXT ASIA’s focus on giving emerging creative voices a platform beyond the runway itself.
Introducing NEXT ASIA GEN: Emerging Designers Across Asia and Europe
Emerging talent was another important part of the Paris programme through NEXT ASIA GEN, an initiative connecting fashion education, independent design and international industry resources.
The inaugural edition brought together Chinese emerging designer brand NOAHXVOID, Paris College of Art (PCA) and French independent label Galileo Couture, creating a shared space for different creative and cultural perspectives.
NOAHXVOID, an award-winning Chinese designer brand recognised at Beijing Fashion Week, represented a new generation of Chinese fashion creativity in an international setting. Paris College of Art brought emerging student work to the Paris Fashion Week environment, while Galileo Couture, founded by emerging designer Momi, added a French perspective to the programme.
The ambition behind NEXT ASIA GEN extends beyond a one-off showcase. The initiative aims to give emerging Asian designers greater access to international audiences and industry networks in Europe, while also creating opportunities for European talent to connect with fashion weeks, brands and professional communities across Asia.
Fashion, Dialogue and Culture Beyond the Runway
Fashion was only one part of the conversation at NEXT ASIA’s debut.
The inaugural NEXT ASIA Fashion Dialogue brought together perspectives from fashion education, creative industries, media and international exchange. Discussions explored emerging designers, internationalisation, cross-cultural collaboration and ways to strengthen connections between Asian and European creative ecosystems.
The programme also moved beyond clothing. Chinese fragrance brand Fragrance Diary (气味日记) presented an experience inspired by Chinese tea culture, translating elements of Eastern tea traditions into a contemporary fragrance language.
Through fashion, scent, design and conversation, the event explored cultural exchange as something that can be experienced as much as it can be discussed.
From Paris to the World
The Paris Fashion Week debut marks the beginning of NEXT ASIA’s wider international journey. With Paris, Beijing, Seoul and Milan as key hubs, the platform is looking ahead to new collaborations, creative exchanges and opportunities across markets.
More than a fashion showcase, NEXT ASIA is building a space where ideas, talent and culture can move between regions. Its Paris debut may be the first chapter, but the bigger story is what comes next.
