Navigating the Excitement and Elegance of Taipei Fashion Week from a Traveler’s Perspective
Written by Kaelie Piscitello
The strategically crafted mood lighting and swish and rustle of fabrics draw all viewers into a fashion show, whether they enjoy looking at clothes or not. This was my second time attending a fashion week, and so I had an idea of what to expect based on my experiences attending London Fashion Week. Of course, Taipei Fashion Week felt a bit different from its London counterpart, but I loved it equally as much.
This annual event, renowned for its innovative designs and vibrant energy, showcased the best of Taiwan’s fashion talent. From the moment I arrived, I felt captivated by the blend of fashion enthusiasts, industry professionals, and artists, all gathered to celebrate the art of style.
Celebrities (whom I had never heard of before) walked around posing for photos and taking front-row seats at each of the shows. Two famous Taiwanese Youtubers acted friendly towards everyone and posed for pictures with the young boys sitting a few seats over.
Though Fashion Week seems like a prestigious occasion, I never felt like I didn’t belong or that others were too good to talk to me. It felt like something anyone could walk into and feel part of it.
The Perfect Venue
Unsurprisingly, Taipei Fashion Week took place in one of the fanciest parts of Taipei, the Xinyi District, which is home to many trendy bars, fancy office buildings, and Taipei 101. The fashion shows all took place in Songshan Cultural Park’s Warehouse Number 5, the perfect place for such an event.
Warehouse Number 5 felt like a large black box theatre, and each show had impeccable lighting. The runway stretched down the middle, and long bleachers stretched out on each side to accommodate many people. Outside, they set up one “red carpet” space where many people, celebrities and average people alike, posed for photos and showed off their outfits.
In general, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park was a great place to host Fashion Week because I had so many options of things to do in between shows. Songshan Cultural Park has many pop-up stores and lots of restaurants.
For example, on one of the days, I felt homesick, so my roommate and I stopped at Pizza Hut. For $12 (USD), we received access to an all-you-can buffet, so I enjoyed stopping in for some slices and a touch of home.
A Welcoming and Generous Atmosphere
Taiwanese people have excellent hospitality, and Fashion Week showcased their welcoming attitude. Stepping into the opening show on my first evening demonstrated how the designers know how to treat their guests!
Around 2:00 p.m. each day, an open bar with complimentary gin cocktails opened. Anyone could stop by and sample one of them. The bartenders decorated them in pretty blue flower decorations and poured them into stylish stemless wine glasses.
On night three, in addition to the cocktails, Taipei Fashion Week also offered everyone one of my favorite Taiwanese dishes: shaved ice! The scoopers put mochi balls on top of them and different sweet syrups such as strawberry and chocolate. The small bowls of shaved ice tasted delicious and were a fun surprise treat to try out in between shows.
Everyone at Taipei Fashion Week acted kind, and the people I sat next to often wanted to strike up a conversation with me about the other shows we had seen and planned to attend. People generally acted more relaxed about their clothes for Taipei Fashion Week.
When I went to London Fashion Week, the attendees dressed to the nines and wore high-end brands. While the people at Taipei Fashion Week wore expensive brands, they dressed like most people around Taipei do. Some people dressed up, but they tended to be celebrities or designers. Overall, everyone appeared casual and relaxed about their outfit choices.
On top of that, while few designers suggested dress codes, people tended not to follow them if someone did. InfDark requested all black for their after-party, and Chow des Homme asked that people also dressed in black for their show. While some people followed it, many did not. Maybe the people went against the dress code to stand out against the crowd, but I can’t say for sure.
Events for Everyone
There was a cute weekend market down the street from all the fashion show hubbubs. I loved walking around the stalls while waiting for a show to begin and looking through what the different vendors had to offer. Some stalls sold specialty coffees and ice creams, while others set out their handmade jewelry for purchase.
I bought a small birthday gift for one of my friends from one of the vendors, and I thought the pop-up had reasonably priced and fun items. The market brought out a crowd that was not a part of the fashion industry, but it also directed some of the people towards Fashion Week to see the goings-on.
Next to the showroom in Warehouse 5, anyone from the public could go into a gallery and see some of the pieces from the opening show. After the opening show ended, the models stood out for an hour or two in their outfits, and people could get close-ups of the clothes worn by real people.
For the rest of the weekend, the clothes decorated mannequins, but I loved walking around and seeing what top designers like #DAMUR and Story Wear brought to the table. Even if someone couldn’t attend their shows that weekend, they could still take in the pieces. Visitors could also purchase some of their pieces off the rack and see what other items businesses sold, like postcards and keychains.
An After Party to Remember
One of my favorite parts of Fashion Week included attending InfDark’s after-party at CE LA VI. I had never participated in a fashion industry party before, and it didn’t disappoint. InfDark was an excellent host and covered a drink for each guest. They also hired a DJ, who got many people moving and grooving in a large dance circle in the center of the room. Mostly foreigners danced, but I like to watch people break dance, so I had a great time.
Some people left their Crocs at the door and changed into heels, which I wish I had thought of doing because it rained that night. This after-party was the perfect way to finish off fashion week and let loose after a few days of taking lots of notes and pictures.
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