Emerging designer Shigo showcases for the first time at LAFW

Los Angeles - Established only a year ago, contemporary label Shigo has become an up-and-coming brand for Los Angeles. Mixing urban clothing with technological advances, the ready-to-wear brand has made its way into the big leagues: Los Angeles Fashion Week.

Los Angeles is known as a possible emerging fashion capital these days. If established, the city would follow fifth behind the established capitals: New York, Paris, London, and Milan. This may be due to the rising designers in the local city. For Los Angeles Fashion Week (LAFW), there are a myriad of designers that showcase their brands. Some are invited back year after year after solidifying their fashion status, while others are new designers that branch onto the scene in hopes of moving forward. Shigo was chosen by LAFW to showcase their brand as a new, rising designer. “They found us [and] discovered us,” said David Cheng and Kiwib Wong, founders and designers of Shigo. “We were surprised that [the organization] knew our brand,” said Wong.

Los Angeles Fashion Week invites emerging designers for showcases

The two designers knew that they wanted to work in fashion from early in their life. “For David, [he knew] since secondary school while completing a textile project of wearable art,” said Wong. For Wong, her interest in design came from a fashion competition also during secondary school. Both attended the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with an emphasis on Fashion Design. Their schooling was able to prepare them both for their impending fashion careers. “It provided us with a basic fundamental concept and [fashion] techniques,” said Wong.

After undergoing an experience as finalists for the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Fashion Show, the two feel that they were aptly prepared for LAFW. Their showcase for LAFW includes their “Over Publication” collection for Spring/Summer 2016. Wong and Cheng were able to draw inspiration for the collection based on cityscapes. The idea behind the fashion is based on people who live in a busy, urban environment with incredibly occupied crowds. Based on their hometown, Hong Kong, the two drew influences from the surrounding architecture, transit, streets, dining, and more. “We wanted to bring some colorful, healthy happiness to the urban citizen in their boring, busy life,” said Wong.

For the collection, the designer’s ideal customers include those between the ages 24 to 32. Preferably, their target market includes people “with young energetic vibes who crave something new and refreshing. The entire collection will be readily available to order Friday on October 9. The fashion show for the collection will be at Union Station in Los Angeles at 6:45 p.m. So far, everything in preparation for the show has gone according to plan. “The fitting went smoothly with [hardly any] problems at all,” said Wong. In participating in the show, the two feel that the experience will bring exposure to their label. Wong and Cheng are hoping that the showcase will bring their collection to a wider range of audience.

Shigo offers new Spring/Summer 2016 Collection in October

In the future, the two hope to carry on their success we the brand. “We [hope] to carry on progress and create through new media techniques,” said Wong. The ready-to-wear label mixes modern-day technology into contemporary, chic clothing. The brand releases unconventional methods of construction to help elevate their sleek garments. Although hoping to expand, currently the brand is only readily available through their e-commerce site. The designers’ ultimate aim is to transform unconventional technology into menswear and womenswear fashion.

Photos: Shigo