the FJU talents show brought me back to life

Let’s be honest for a moment. Fashion is, and always has been a Eurocentric industry, but having  watched the 2026 FJU Talents show, I can’t help but question why. In it’s 10th year, the platform  (presented by the Department of Textiles and Clothing at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan), is  the embodiment of East Asia pioneering the future of fashion. 

It’s a dreary Saturday afternoon in Shoreditch, marking the halfway point of London Fashion Week, and spirits are beginning to drain. Yet having left Protein Studios, I have what I can only describe as a second lease of life, having watched four designers, each with a very distinctive style,  send phenomenal garments down the runway. 

Ting Hsuan Chang  

If there was ever an argument for surrealist fashion making a comeback, Ting Hsuan Chang’s  collection would be it. She even sported a lobster tie as she stepped out for her final bow;  perhaps a reference to the great Elsa Schiaparelli. Drawing inspiration from parasitised snails,  Chang created an almost uncanny feel with sleeves extending into long stretches of fabric which  then fed back into the garment. The silhouettes she created were un-human like, with vivid neon  prints allowed for the image of an optical illusion.  

Alison Lai  

It was Alison Lai’s second time joining the FJU stage, the first being in 2019, and her well curated  collection gave the impression of a seasoned veteran. A stark contrast from the designer before,  her colour palette of deep reds and blacks gave her looks a timeless feel, despite the disjointed  shapes. Influenced by the world of David Lynch’s ‘Twin Peaks’, Lai took deconstructed tailoring  and blended it with distorted black and white stripes to create garments that felt equal parts  feminine and eccentric. 

Yui Kao  

Yui Kao’s segment of the show could only be described as maximalists wet dream. It was bold,  and it was brilliant. The models walked with personality in vibrant genderless garments that were littered with Taiwanese snack packaging and heart shaped charms. Any idea of social constructs  went entirely out the window (which is precisely what we love to see during fashion week), with  the most exaggerated of silhouettes and brightest of colour palettes, culminating in an inclusive  queer aesthetic. 

Min-Hsin Yu  

The final of the four, Min-Hsin Yu, produced a hand-crocheted collection in a series of blue and  orange hues, reflecting the sunsets of the Earth and Mars. Blending timeless elegance with more  unconventional footwear and oversized bags, the dissimilar colours created a sharp contrast  which hit a climax in the final look.