My favorite Asian-owned brands of all time

May happens to be Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month! Although we should always celebrate the unique and diverse cultures that make up the beautiful melting pot of America, this month allows us to specifically recognize the contributions and influence of Asians in America. In fact, I think this month bears extra weight as we are continuing to deal with the rise of Asian-driven hate crimes which continues to break my heart with each headline. This is why I wanted to pay homage to this month and couple it with what I love most – fashion. For today’s post, I wanted to do a roundup of some of my favorite Asian-owned brands that I think need to be on everyone’s radar. All of these labels are quite remarkable in their field and continue to pave the way for future Asian-owned brands to climb to the spotlight.

Phillip Lim

3.1 Phillip Lim is a brand that has truly mastered the balance of refined and effortless. This is definitely apparent in his clothing – each beautifully designed with a mature, minimal style. I’m not only a huge fan of Lim for his voice in our community, but his clothing is very classic and can be kept for years to come. If you are looking to elevate your everyday wear or are perhaps trying to upgrade your workwear wardrobe, I highly recommend checking out his collections.

Altuzarra

This is probably one of the most successful Asian-owned brands in the fashion world. Altuzarra was founded by Joseph Altuzarra and he continues to draw inspiration from his French, American and Chinese background. You can see the blend of his different facets of life in the clothing itself as each piece is very eclectic, yet elegant. I love how they do not shy away from bold colors and patterns – two things you all know I stand for! Another thing I love about Altuzarra is their commitment to sustainability.

Byredo

We all know and love Byredo but did you know it was founded in Stockholm by Ben Gorham? He was born to an Indian mother and a Canadian father and is now a well-established perfumer. Byredo prides themselves in using only the best ingredients to create their magical olfactory elixirs. Although on the higher end, the quality definitely speaks for itself. I absolutely love the best-selling scents, Bal d’Afrique and Mojave Ghost.

Gentle Monster

If you are in the market for a pair of funky, out-of-this-world eyewear, you have to shop at Gentle Monster. In a cyber world where each collection has this futuristic backstory, Gentle Monster truly provides high-quality products delivered in a shroud of mystery and desire. As a creative myself, I absolutely admire the genius that is Gentle Monster. This company was founded by Hankook Kim, a South Korean designer who had the ambition to combine tech and fashion. He actually was inspired to launch the company since many eyewear products were designed for the Western facial structure so he wanted something more catered to the Asian facial structure.

Amyo Jewelry

I’m all for jewelry with a modern sophistication – and Amyo’s pieces are painstakingly perfected down to the very last detail. These are pieces you can wear with more feminine or minimal frocks. The pieces also appeal to all sorts of women, no matter what walk of life you come from! But perhaps the best part is that you can find rings that fit – and they’re affordable!

Le Prix

If you love designer pieces as much as I do, then you need know Le Prix. I don’t just love the sustainable business model – but the founders, Elise and Emily, are power women of Asian descent worth looking up to. Le Prix allows you to shop the world’s best consignment boutiques in one place. Read more about this hidden gem here.

Tower 28

New in the beauty scene, Tower 28 is a clean, vegan and cruelty-free brand that I have been seeing absolutely everywhere! It was founded by Amy, an Asian American residing in LA. All products, including their best-selling ShineOn Lip Jelly and SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray, are made with non-toxic, non-irritating ingredients for people with all different types of skin. This is such a fun, wholesome brand and I am excited to see what else they inject into the beauty market!

Velour

For all things glam eye makeup, you need to shop Velour. You probably know they for their iconic, high-quality false eyelashes that you can purchase on major retailers, but did you know this is an Asian-owned and operated company? Velour was founded by Mabel Lee and she wanted to recreate the false eyelash market as it is. Hands down, they have the best, most comfortable false eyelashes you honestly would not mind wearing all day long!

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I hope you discovered some new brands in today’s post. I would love for you to share your favorite Asian-owned fashion and beauty companies so I too can discover a new brand to support!