In this engaging discussion, Hong Kong-born fashion designer Robert Wun, known for his bespoke couture and experimental womenswear, shares his unique journey from Hong Kong to Paris Couture Week. He delves into the challenges of the wholesale model and reveals how the pandemic prompted a pivot to customized, one-off designs. Robert emphasizes the importance of fostering creativity while remaining commercially viable, drawing inspiration from his childhood and the rich cultural tapestry of Hong Kong. He also discusses his recent recognition and mentorship in Paris.
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insights INSIGHT
Hong Kong Shaped His Creative Compass
Hong Kong's culture and creative icons shaped Robert Wun's early aesthetic and belief in creativity as powerful.
That cultural imprint pushed him toward London to access deeper creative education and opportunity.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Discovery By Joyce Launched His Early Path
Joyce Boutique discovered Robert after he posted his graduate collection online and invited him to do a pop-up.
Michael Mock from Joyce also taught him how to price work and understand retail levels.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Early Wholesale Struggles And MOQ Problems
In early years Robert barely secured stockists and often relied on factories doing him favors because he couldn't meet MOQs.
Complex garments and low orders made the wholesale path financially unsustainable initially.
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Soon after sharing his graduate work from the London College of Fashion online, Hong Kong-born Robert Wun was approached by Joyce Boutique to buy his collection. Like many other independent designers, he found navigating the wholesale model challenging and during the pandemic he pivoted to serving clients with one-off, customised designs with couture level pricing.
“I realised that, in order for me to have a strong wholesale business model or grow a brand, this is not the time yet,” Wun says. “For me to sacrifice all these years – to leave my family, to come all the way to London, to chase my dream – everything I create needs to have a responsibility, not only for myself but also for the message that I’m trying to relay.”
This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder Imran Amed sit down with Robert Wun to discuss his path from Hong Kong to London to Paris Couture Week, and how he’s building a client-first business that protects his creativity while staying commercially viable.
Key Insights:
Hong Kong’s cultural imprint shaped Wun's eye from an early age. Growing up in a city he saw as a creative engine, Wun points to icons like Wong Kar-wai as inspiration, adding that “Hong Kong is almost a symbol of cultural leadership when it comes to Asia.” Wun recalls discovering how deeply global fashion intersected with the city, from Joyce Ma championing new designers to Jean Paul Gaultier creating stage pieces for musicians in Hong Kong. "You always had this idea that creativity was powerful ... but I think what changed was a shift in culture and economic power," he says.
When pandemic lockdowns halted the regular fashion calendar, it provided a reset for Wun. Being forced to release his Autumn/Winter 2021 collection with an iPhone shoot done in his studio kitchen, made him prioritise meaning and message. “Everything I create needs to have a responsibility, not only for myself, but also for the message that I’m trying to relay,” he says. That conviction pushed Wun to prioritise work that is no longer “to make money” but rather “to communicate and be honest.”
Wun has shifted from wholesale to bespoke orders and selective collaborations. “We are a team of almost twelve now. We’ve turned from not making any profit at all to actually starting to make profit since last year, and we’re almost doubling in terms of turnover by the end of this year,” he says. The core is a loyal private clientele, and demand is anchored in the US — particularly New York and Los Angeles millennials and Asian Americans — plus art collectors and couples seeking modern ceremony wear. “Our average for those couture orders ranges from £45,000 to £60,000,” Wun says, a mix that allows him to protect his creativity while running a commercially successful business.
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