Street style trends at Taipei Fashion Week: Bubble soles and a pandemonium of prints

From April 25 to 28, the Taiwanese fashion world and select visitors descended on the country’s capital for Taipei Fashion Week, where nine brands exhibited their latest collections to bustling crowds. While much anticipation was reserved largely for the individual shows, the event’s location Songshan Cultural and Creative Park also became the unofficial stage for trendsetters.

Outside the warehouse venue, fans and photographers alike awaited for the arrival of fashion’s finest, from local celebrities to high-ranking press, all of whom pulled out all the stops in their creative and sensational wardrobe choices. FashionUnited took a look at seven of the core trends that could be spotted on the streets of this season of Taipei Fashion Week.

Statement bags

There is nothing quite like a statement bag to tie an outfit together – at least from the perspective of Taipei Fashion Week attendees, many of whom turned to the trusty handheld accessory to turn heads. There were varying approaches to this trend, however. While one attendee’s bag took the form of a car’s steering wheel, another opted for an oversized Hello Kitty shoulder bag, complete with a fluffy leopard print material and the character’s signature bow.

Deconstructed suiting

The women’s suit welcomed modernised upgrades throughout the week, largely through the use of deconstructed panelling that brought a fresh shape to the silhouette. Next to the addition of pockets and high-rise waist sashes, attendees also utilised straps and ties that wrapped around the body to form the shape of the blazer. Elsewhere, tailored trousers adopted heavy pleating, with the darts creating sharp folds down the entirety of the leg.

Pandemonium prints

Akin to the inclination towards striking prints on Taipei’s runway, attendees outside the venue were also in favour of prints on the more chaotic side. Seen on everything from mini dresses to tailored suits, there was an array of options on display both in silhouette and in pattern. One individual’s two-piece suit featured patchwork prints reminiscent of comic artwork while another’s dress also combined multiple prints, with lightning strikes metamorphosing into marble-like patterns.

Tiered tulle

Skirts with multiple tiers were a popular outfit choice for many this season, appealing to attendees of different aesthetics that reflected the breadth of this seemingly adaptable style. While some took a more obvious route, representing the ‘fairy core’ trend with light pastels and ballet shoes, others juxtaposed the look with formal-casual codes. This could be seen in the use of an oversized denim shirt for one outfit, accessorised with a tie and beret while the skirt itself was layered over tailored trousers.

Bubble sole sneakers

One shoe style that had a prominent place this season was the chunky sneaker with bubble-like soles, many of which came complete in highly elevated platforms. This look formed an otherworldly character for those that dared to sport it, each of whom typically opted for contemporary silhouettes and cuts for clothing paired with the sneaker.

Disgruntled denim

During this edition of the fashion week, denim took on a dishevelled appearance for the most part, emerging in reconstructed or raw forms that brought new dimensions to the staple material. One of the more extreme cases saw a denim skirt formulated from a seemingly dissected denim jacket, with zips, snap fasteners and pockets haphazardly placed around the – what looked to be – adjustable construction.

Figure-hugging camis

Some took a more minimalist approach to street fashion, however that is not to say that it wasn’t equally impactful. Cami dresses were a popular piece among many of the women attending, each of whom stuck to sleek, figure-hugging forms that gave the appearance of effortless style. To emphasise the prints donned on the dresses, ranging from pastel tie dye to more graphic florals, attendees favoured simple accessories, such as a matching choker necklace, fitted leather jacket or strappy heels.