Regions · Asia
Asia fashion forecast
The world's largest and fastest-moving fashion market: Chinese and Korean labels setting their own directions, Japan's craft-led design, India's occasion economy and the Gulf's modest-luxury buyers.
Global forecast · Updated 21 Oct 2026
Northern hemisphere
China, Japan & South Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Middle East (GCC)
Shanghai Fashion Week (SS27 opened 8 Oct 2026, theme "Renewed Radiance") · Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo (31 Aug–5 Sep 2026) · Seoul Fashion Week (1–6 Sep 2026) · Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI (13–18 Oct 2026) · Jakarta Fashion Week · Dubai Fashion Week (22–26 Oct 2026, d3)
Season by season in Asia
International seasons (SS, Pre-Fall, AW, Resort) with Asia's own in-store timing, Forecut's regional direction, and the global trends that suit this market.
In Asia stores: Aug 2026 – Jan 2027 · Global AW26 report →
- Rich, maximal and tactile. Big outerwear, sharp tailoring and heavy embellishment, with 1920s glamour running through evening and footwear.
- Regional reading: lead with the AW26 trends below that suit Asia's climate and buyers.
Global trends to lead with in Asia
Peaking
Emerging
Peaking
Rising
Rising
Rising
Emerging
Emerging
In Asia stores: Nov 2026 – Jan 2027 · Global Resort 27 report →
- Gulf winter-season eveningwear and travel wardrobes
- Indian wedding-season guest wear
- Southeast Asian holiday and Lunar New Year capsules
Global trends to lead with in Asia
Peaking
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
In Asia stores: Feb – Jul 2027 · Global SS27 report →
- Heritage textiles and motifs (brocade, kesi, handloom) on modern silhouettes
- Sheer and translucent layers worn over opaque bases for modesty and heat
- Tailoring with technical and utility details, cropped jackets and windbreakers
- Luminous blue and earth tones; metallic silver accents
Global trends to lead with in Asia
Peaking
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
In Asia stores: May – Jul 2027 · Global Pre-Fall 27 report →
- Regional reading: lead with the Pre-Fall 27 trends below that suit Asia's climate and buyers.
Global trends to lead with in Asia
Peaking
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Peaking
Rising
Rising
In Asia stores: Aug 2027 – Jan 2028 · Global AW27 report →
- Waisted outerwear for East Asia; lightweight layering pieces for tropical markets
- Craft on knits and festive wear for India and the Gulf winter season
- Structured tailoring in soft wools for Japan, Korea and northern China
Global trends to lead with in Asia
Peaking
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Emerging
Rising
Rising
In Asia stores: Feb – Jul 2028 · Global SS28 report →
- Long-range outlook. Structured clarity and easy movement: fewer, better pieces with performance comfort for commuting, anchored by a warm earth orange.
- Regional reading: lead with the SS28 trends below that suit Asia's climate and buyers.
Global trends to lead with in Asia
Rising
Rising
Rising
Peaking
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
In Asia stores: Aug 2028 – Jan 2029 · Global AW28 report →
- Long-range outlook. Functional tailoring and technical wool for winter, hidden closures and hybrid boots, with radiant earth deepening into rust and brick.
- Regional reading: lead with the AW28 trends below that suit Asia's climate and buyers.
Global trends to lead with in Asia
Emerging
Emerging
Emerging
Peaking
Rising
Rising
Rising
Rising
Trend lifecycle in Asia
How the trends that suit this region move from AW26 to AW28.
| Detail | AW26 | SS27 | AW27 | SS28 | AW28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheer fine-gauge layersKnitwear | Peaking | Peaking | Fading | – | – |
| Sheer organza overlaysDresses | Peaking | Rising | Peaking | Fading | – |
| Lace-trimmed slips over knitsDresses | Rising | Rising | Peaking | – | – |
| Short-sleeve knit shirtsShirts & Polos | Rising | Rising | Rising | Peaking | Fading |
| Embroidered pocket shirtsShirts & Polos | Rising | Rising | Rising | Rising | Peaking |
| Rib-knit sweatshirtsKnitwear | Rising | Rising | Peaking | Fading | – |
| Sheer organza blousesTops & Shirts | Rising | Rising | Rising | Rising | Peaking |
| Longline knit vestsKnitwear | Rising | Rising | Rising | Rising | Peaking |
| Knitted overshirtsKnitwear | – | – | Emerging | Rising | Peaking |
| Gilded embroidered shirtingTops & Shirts | Emerging | Rising | Peaking | Fading | – |
Picked for Asia's climate and buyers. Stages follow the international seasons; for when each season reaches stores locally, see the season tabs above.
Key markets
Climate, buying moments and preferences that shape how trends sell.
- Climate
- Four seasons in the north and east; subtropical south.
- Key moments
- Lunar New Year, 618 and Double 11 (11.11) shopping festivals
- Buyers want
- Fast adoption of runway ideas, strong local designer brands, heritage motifs, live-commerce driven drops.
- Fashion week
- Shanghai Fashion Week (SS27 opened 8 Oct 2026, theme "Renewed Radiance")
- Climate
- Four distinct seasons with humid summers.
- Key moments
- Spring and autumn wardrobe changes, year-end gifting, Chuseok
- Buyers want
- Precise tailoring, layering, quality basics, technical outerwear, K-celebrity influence.
- Fashion week
- Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo (31 Aug–5 Sep 2026) · Seoul Fashion Week (1–6 Sep 2026)
- Climate
- Tropical and subtropical; monsoon Jun–Sep; short north-Indian winter.
- Key moments
- Diwali and festive (Sep–Nov), wedding seasons (Nov–Feb, Apr–May), summer
- Buyers want
- Occasion and ethnic wear, handloom and embroidery, fusion for Gen Z, value-led western wear.
- Fashion week
- Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI (13–18 Oct 2026)
- Climate
- Hot and humid all year; wet and dry seasons.
- Key moments
- Ramadan and Hari Raya, Lunar New Year, year-end sales
- Buyers want
- Breathable fabrics, modest options, bright colour, resort and occasion wear.
- Fashion week
- Jakarta Fashion Week
- Climate
- Very hot summers; mild "winter" season Oct–Mar is the main retail season.
- Key moments
- Ramadan and Eid, wedding season, winter tourism
- Buyers want
- Modest luxury, abayas and kaftans, eveningwear, high-end craft, international designer brands.
- Fashion week
- Dubai Fashion Week (22–26 Oct 2026, d3)
Climate & influences
From temperate four-season East Asia to tropical Southeast Asia and India, and the hot, dry Gulf. One collection rarely fits every market: weight, sleeve length and coverage change by country.
- Western runway trends filtered through local taste, often within one season
- K-culture and celebrity-led demand from Seoul
- Heritage revival: Chinese brocades and kesi, Indian handloom, Japanese craft
- Modest and layered dressing across the Gulf, Malaysia and Indonesia
Runway & news from Asia
The latest fashion weeks and collections, summarised with links to the original coverage.
Nearly 100 runway presentations and about 1,000 brands. HEMU opened with Dunhuang heritage techniques (yunjin and song brocade, kesi silk tapestry, embroidery); the season spotlights traditional Chinese motifs inspired by the Silk Road.
Source: China Daily, CGTN
Running 22–26 October at Dubai Design District, with designers from the UAE, Kuwait, India, Colombia, Vietnam, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Jordan, France and Italy, and a buyers' programme for regional and international stores.
Source: Dubai PR Network
Kwaeja-inspired overlapping forms, cropped jackets and windbreakers, ballooning trousers; earth tones with sheer fabrics and metallic silver; technical fabrics and denim-effect patchwork.
Source: METAL Magazine
Yoshiokubo layered translucent fabrics with utility thermals; Pillings twisted shirts and pencil skirts with off-centre creases; Charinyeh used gossamer fabrics and coral-like cut jacquard.
Source: Tokyo Weekender