Photo Credit: Robert Wun
When Robert Wun arrived at the 2022 Andam Fashion Awards in Paris, he never expected his name to be called. Standing quietly at the back of the room, he was stunned when announced as the winner of the Prix Spécial, a runner-up honor accompanied by nearly $120,000. It took his team minutes to locate him in the crowd and usher him to the stage. For Wun, who had long felt unsupported within the industry, this moment of recognition was life-changing.
Wun's path into haute couture was neither traditional nor easy. Despite graduating from the London College of Fashion in 2012 and launching his own label two years later, he received little support from institutional bodies such as the British Fashion Council. His repeated applications for funding and showcases went nowhere, and by 2018, he was no longer eligible to apply. Without that symbolic stamp of approval, he continued regardless, driven by stubbornness and the desire to create. His designs nonetheless attracted high-profile clients including Lady Gaga, Adele, and Beyoncé, as well as commissions for The Royal Ballet.
A turning point came when Chanel's Bruno Pavlovsky encouraged him to present at Paris Haute Couture Week, the most exclusive showcase for handcrafted fashion in the world. With sponsorship from within the French Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, Wun debuted his couture collection in 2023, just two months after the suggestion was made. The collection, titled "Fear," signaled his arrival as a couturier of international standing.
Now, his creations are displayed in "Dirty Looks," an exhibition at London's Barbican, marking the first time his work has been formally shown in the city where he studied and built his career. For Wun, this is a full-circle moment, recalling his days as a student when he first visited a Barbican exhibition and dreamt of one day standing among such designers.
