Following the success during London Fashion Week in February 2023, Taiwanese brand INF returns to London this September. This time with a two week pop up in Marylebone village bringing the unique Taiwanese cultured influenced BAN-DOH collection.
The SS24 BAN-DOH collection draws its inspiration from traditional Taiwanese culture. BAN-DOH represents Taiwan’s unique hospitality culture, where various occasions like weddings, funerals, celebrations, housewarming parties, and temple festivals are celebrated in the form of BAN-DOH gatherings. However, with changing times, modern convenience and comfort have led to these traditional gatherings moving to restaurants and banquet halls, causing Taiwan’s BAN-DOH culture to gradually fade away. These familiar scenes from our childhood, such as neighbours coming together, roadside pavilions, and red plastic chairs, have slowly disappeared from our lives.
BAN-DOH represents not only the abundance and deliciousness of food but also serves the purpose of socializing with fellow locals, fostering camaraderie, and building and strengthening social networks. As native Taiwanese deeply cherish these memories and the sense of community, INF aim to preserve and pass on Taiwan’s cultural heritage through BAN-DOH, making more people aware of the meaning behind these gatherings and ensuring the continuation of this Taiwanese culture.
This season, INF have incorporated Taiwan’s unique BAN-DOH imagery into the prints, using elements like the traditional BAN-DOH furniture such as round tables, red plastic chairs, and lanterns. Seamlessly integrated with deconstructed traditional Taiwanese attire, including master tailor uniforms, blue and white overalls, and formal dresses. This not only adds depth to traditional clothing but also conveys the distinctive cultural characteristics of BAN-DOH. Lastly, the clothing features digital embroidery designs, combining wedding neon signs and Taiwanese-style tattoo motifs, adding another layer of visual flavour and dimension to the garments.
The pop up closes on 30th September but until then, visit INF at 29 Marylebone Lane to discover the range of unique designs and a slice of Taiwanese culture.
