Streetwear is growing up. Once relegated to the wardrobes of hypebeasts, new labels are using their graphic hoodies or jackets to grab your attention and to make a powerful statement about politics or culture. It’s a global movement, too. Mobilize, for instance, uses its drops to educate others about Indigenous life and traditions. There’s also a new streetwear label out of Pakistan who is also championing South Asian culture—and its pieces are just downright cool, too. Rastah was founded in 2018 by cousins Zain, Ismail, and Adnan Ahmad, who are based out of Lahore, Pakistan. Zain, the creative director of the label, grew up in London, Toronto, and Vancouver as well, but is consistently inspired by the city. “Lahore is an incredibly...

Launching a business can be daunting, whether you’re a college sophomore studying for exams, while dreaming up sustainable and whimsically chic outerwear, like Dauphinette’s Olivia Cheng, or putting your own name on your devastatingly cool footwear concepts, after a decade of designing for an established brand, like Labucq’s Lauren Bucquet. Because either way, interpreting one’s self-expression, individuality, and vision through distinct fashion designs — and sharing it all with the world to hopefully embrace — can feel like a massive risk. Plus, success takes hard work and business acumen, not to mention crucial lessons learned on the job, as a few designers will happily share, sans ego. For this group of AAPI creatives, designing and running their own labels also offers an opportunity...