Man Of Firsts

FASHION DESIGNER JASON WU IS ALWAYS A STEP AHEAD WHEN IT COMES TO HIS NAMESAKE LABEL. OUT COMES HIS VERY FIRST COLLABORATION IN ASIA: AN EXCLUSIVEBAG DESIGN BETWEEN JASON WU GREY AND ZAMORA. METRO’S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWREVEALS WHY ASIA IS HIS HOT SPOT FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
 

- Randz Manucom

It is time for a lot of firsts for international fashion designer Jason Wu. Not only is he debuting an exclusive bag design in Asia, but it is also his first design collaboration with leading bag specialist Sometime by Asian Designers. His platform of choice? Leading fashion website in Asia, Zalora. At a time when “collaboration” has become an industry buzzword, Jason goes far and beyond his New York office to make it not just about hype but as an opportunity. “I embrace collaborations. As a designer, I thrive on exchanging ideas between different design industries,” says Jason.

He has done so many “collabs” in his past, but for Taiwan-born Jason, this one strikes closest to home. For his first venture in the region, he came up with the Edie bag, a wear-anywhere vertical tote that comes in two sizes (a regular and a mini), and in six different colors, from soft pink and mustard to ultramarine. A bag was his item of choice for it is not size sensitive and appeals universally— yes, it is unisex!

The decision to do the project was equal parts creative and strategic. “It is more important than ever to have your own e-commerce (platform) to build brand awareness and reach the consumer directly,” says Jason, who also sees it as a great way to curate a creative narrative. For someone who shops online himself, the stars have aligned to bring this exciting bag collaboration available only in six Asian countries, which, ofcourse includes the Philippines.