Up to the Sky: Thai Fashion Will Ascend Above Manhattan

February 13, 2026 — One World Observatory, 102nd Floor, New York City

Doors Will Open: 7:00 PM | Show Will Start: 7:30 PM

On the evening of February 13, 2026, as winter winds will circle the glass spine of One World Trade Center, a different current of energy will rise inside it. Elevators will sweep guests to the 102nd floor, where the city’s grid will dissolve into a constellation of lights below. It will be here—above the pulse of Manhattan—that WDYW New York, in collaboration with 3NY, will present Up to the Sky, a fashion showcase uniting four distinct Thai design voices in a setting chosen as deliberately as the collections themselves.

The One World Observatory will not simply serve as a dramatic venue. It will stand as a symbol. Built on ground defined by history, resilience, and renewal, it will represent openness and the meeting of cultures. That symbolism will form the backbone of the evening: Thai and broader Asian fashion will be brought into the heart of New York and placed within a landmark that stands for diversity, dialogue, and global exchange.

Supported by Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) through the Thai Trade Center, New York, the program will mark its fourth year—an ongoing commitment to expanding the presence of Thai designers in the American market. The initiative, presented in collaboration with Curated International Designers by WDYW New York and curated by Tan Sawaddichai alongside SoHo-based retailer 3NY, will have steadily evolved from introduction to integration. Up to the Sky will not merely be another runway event. It will be a cultural positioning.

Four designers—VICKTEERUT, Takara Wong Studios, Landmeé, and SARRAN—will each carry a different dimension of Thai contemporary design. Together, they will form a portrait of a fashion scene that is layered, self-aware, and globally fluent.

The Venue as Manifesto

Before a single model will step onto the runway, the venue itself will speak volumes. One World Observatory will stand as an architectural testament to perspective. Floor-to-ceiling glass will dissolve borders; the horizon will stretch in all directions. On a clear night, the Hudson will glimmer like liquid steel while Brooklyn will flicker to the east. It will be impossible to stand there and not feel suspended between worlds.

That sensation—of rising, of expanding vision—will align perfectly with the title Up to the Sky. The show will be conceived not simply as a showcase, but as a statement of ascension. Thai designers will not be emerging in a vacuum; they will be entering conversations, influencing aesthetics, and redefining what Asian fashion will look like in a Western capital.

Guests will arrive at 7:00 PM as the winter dusk will fade into deep indigo. By 7:30 PM, when the show will begin, the city below will have transformed into a living tapestry of light. Against this panoramic backdrop, the runway will cut clean and minimal—a stark, architectural strip that will allow the clothes to command full attention.

There will be no need for excessive staging. The skyline will be the set.

VICKTEERUT: Precision as Power

Founded in 2007, VICKTEERUT will remain a name synonymous with refined modernity in Thailand. The label will continue to be recognized for its impeccable tailoring and confident interpretation of contemporary womenswear. At Up to the Sky, the brand’s disciplined elegance will resonate particularly well against New York’s sharp vertical lines.

VICKTEERUT’s design philosophy will center on highlighting modern femininity through clean silhouettes and precise construction. Classic black and white—graphically powerful and eternally relevant—will form the backbone of the collection, punctuated by subtle infusions of color. There will be nothing ornamental for ornament’s sake. Each seam, each cut, each proportion will hold intention.

Blazers will skim the body with architectural authority. Dresses will move with restrained sensuality, revealing strength rather than fragility. The brand’s ability to balance classic tailoring with innovative fabric manipulation will give the pieces dynamic tension—controlled, yet alive.

In a city like New York, where polish can sometimes tip into sterility, VICKTEERUT will offer warmth through structure. These will be garments designed for urban women who command rooms not by volume, but by clarity. The message will be subtle but firm: confidence will not require spectacle.

Against the skyline, black silhouettes will become graphic strokes against glass. It will feel as if the collection is conversing with the city itself—two systems of structure recognizing one another.

Takara Wong Studios: Subculture as Continuum

If VICKTEERUT will represent discipline, Takara Wong Studios will embody instinct. Founded in 2015, the brand will have built its identity around subcultures—the overlooked, the underground, the rebellious currents that quietly shape mainstream fashion over time.

The philosophy of “silently loud” will define Takara Wong’s approach. Classic silhouettes will be reimagined through unusual techniques and materials, allowing imperfections to become hidden perfections. There will be a deliberate embrace of tension—between polish and rawness, between heritage and defiance.

On the runway, this will translate into street-informed tailoring and layered textures. Leather, structured cottons, and experimental fabric treatments will play against one another. The cuts will feel instinctive rather than engineered, yet the craftsmanship will remain undeniable.

Takara Wong’s work will remain invested in the underdogs of society and in the rebellious spirits of rock ’n’ roll subcultures. It will be a brand that understands fashion’s evolution has always depended on outsiders. In New York—a city defined by its borough-born movements, from punk to hip-hop—the resonance will be immediate.

The models will move with an ease that suggests self-possession rather than performance. There will be nothing forced. The pieces will seem lived-in, as though already part of the wearer’s narrative.

Placed 102 floors above ground, the collection will serve as a reminder: subcultures may begin underground, but their influence will eventually rise.

Landmeé: Romanticism Reimagined

Where Takara Wong will thrive on edge, Landmeé will unfold like a cinematic love letter to femininity. Rooted in romantic and bohemian influences of the 1970s, the brand will reinterpret that era’s softness into contemporary silhouettes designed for everyday wear.

Landmeé will celebrate strong, independent, sophisticated women—those who embrace femininity with confidence rather than apology. Its DNA will blend optimism and distinction, pairing elaborate lace and ribbon detailing with denim and wearable tailoring.

On the runway, flowing fabrics will catch the ambient light of the Observatory. Soft ruffles and delicate trims will contrast with structured elements, creating garments that will feel emotionally expressive yet grounded.

The 1970s inspiration will be evident, but not nostalgic. Instead, it will feel distilled—bohemian codes refined through a modern lens. This will not be costume; it will be reinterpretation. The craftsmanship will stand out in the detailing: precise stitching, careful layering, and tactile richness that will reward close inspection.

Landmeé’s evolution will speak to the enduring appeal of romanticism when anchored in practicality. The brand will understand that contemporary women seek garments that empower through beauty without sacrificing function.

Against the vast urban panorama, these softer silhouettes will provide a poetic counterpoint to steel and glass. If VICKTEERUT will echo Manhattan’s architecture, Landmeé will introduce its heartbeat.

SARRAN: Art to Wear, Emotion to Carry

SARRAN’s approach will perhaps be the most explicitly narrative of the four. A jewelry and fashion brand rooted in personal history and Asian womanhood, SARRAN will treat each piece as an “art-to-wear” object.

The brand’s ethos will emerge from emotional storytelling—friendship, connection, memory, and the quiet strength of women. Inspired by flowers that transcend culture and become symbols of shared humanity, SARRAN will transform jewelry and garments into intimate statements.

On the runway, this will translate into pieces that carry symbolic resonance. The jewelry will not function merely as accessory but as focal point—sculptural yet deeply personal. Each design will feel as though it holds a story waiting to be told.

SARRAN’s celebration of Asian women—of their resilience, dignity, and elegance—will add emotional weight to the evening. In a venue that stands as a monument to collective endurance, the brand’s message will feel particularly poignant.

The craftsmanship will underscore the concept. Materials will be treated with reverence; forms will be deliberate. The balance between delicacy and strength will mirror the thematic core of the collection.

SARRAN will not shout. It will invite. And in that invitation will lie its power.

Vivian Wilson: Presence in Motion

Special guest model Vivian Wilson will bring an added dimension to the runway. Her presence will be both striking and composed—a figure capable of embodying the diversity of aesthetics presented.

Whether clad in VICKTEERUT’s structured tailoring, Takara Wong’s subcultural layering, Landmeé’s romantic silhouettes, or SARRAN’s narrative adornments, she will move with adaptability and grace. Wilson will not overshadow the garments; she will amplify them.

In a show centered on cultural dialogue, her appearance will symbolize the bridging of perspectives. Fashion, after all, will ultimately be about people wearing clothes—not garments existing in isolation.

A Program with Purpose

The involvement of the Department of International Trade Promotion through the Thai Trade Center, New York, will represent more than logistical support. It will signal a strategic commitment to elevating Thai designers within the global fashion ecosystem.

Now in its fourth year, the program will demonstrate continuity. It will not be a fleeting experiment but an evolving platform. Through collaboration with Curated International Designers by WDYW New York, curated by Tan Sawaddichai, and partnership with 3NY—a SoHo-based retailer known for championing international brands—the initiative will create tangible pathways to market.

This alignment between government support, curatorial vision, and retail infrastructure will prove crucial. Exposure alone will not build careers. Sustainable presence will require networks, buyers, press, and cultural integration.

Up to the Sky will function as both spectacle and strategy.

Beyond the Runway

As the final walk will conclude and applause will fill the Observatory, the city lights will continue to shimmer below. Conversations will turn from silhouettes to strategy, from craftsmanship to commerce.

What will linger will not be a single aesthetic but a composite impression: Thai fashion will be multifaceted. It will be tailored and rebellious, romantic and narrative-driven. It will be technically sophisticated and emotionally resonant.

In recent years, global fashion will increasingly look toward Asia not merely for manufacturing, but for creative leadership. Thailand’s design community, with its unique synthesis of heritage and modernity, will assert itself within that conversation.

Up to the Sky will be aptly named. It will be about elevation—geographical, cultural, and symbolic. Hosting the presentation at One World Observatory will underscore a simple yet powerful message: Thai fashion will belong in global capitals, in iconic spaces, and within the broader narrative of contemporary design.

As guests will descend back to street level, they will carry with them more than images of garments. They will carry a sense of momentum.

The sky, after all, will not be a limit. It will be an invitation.

Article by Joseph Ralph Fraia - @jrfstudio - jrfstudio.com