Erhu soloist Calista Liaw, celebrated for her modern soundscapes and dynamic performances, has launched her own fashion brand Liaü, releasing a capsule collection called Calibrate in August.
After the release of her album Rebirth in March this year, Liaw developed her label during a “moment of creative clarity”, which she describes as a distillation of her artistic practice.
“I started asking myself how else I could channel the same energy and philosophy behind Rebirth into something tangible,” she says. “Fashion felt like a natural evolution, a new canvas to explore modern femininity.”
Her passion for fashion runs deep. Dressing up, which she enjoyed during her childhood as a form of storytelling, allows her to continue to explore culture and identity. “When approached with intention, fashion can be just as transformative as music,” Liaw emphasises.
She had no formal fashion training, so she learnt as she went along, speaking with friends in the industry, visiting fabric markets across Asia, and everything else in between. She also worked visually and intuitively rather than sketching technical drawings. In terms of visual language, too, she is meticulous: “What am I trying to say?” “How do I make it feel distinctly mine?”
As a result, Liaw’s bold monochrome palettes and silver-toned hardware combine edge and elegance. In her pared-back, sculptural silhouettes, she cleverly explores dualities like structure and fluidity as well as function and form.
But most impressively, Liaü is a solo endeavour. “I’m the one behind all the designs, sourcing, marketing, creative direction, and modelling. The only thing I don’t do is sew the clothes or stitch the bags,” she explains. Most of the garments are produced with her seamstress in Singapore, while the bags are made in Bangkok.
“I have always had a clear idea of how I wanted garments to sit on the body… to translate those visions, I immersed myself in fashion literature, studied garment construction, and learnt the language: cuts, finishes, and sewing techniques.
“In addition, I focused on composition and texture along with how the fabrics interacted with skin and movement.” The best example of this is the Liaü Iron Fairy shoulder bag, which she considers her favourite piece from the Calibrate collection. “I tested it for months by carrying it during daily routines, evening performances, and anywhere else I went. It wasn’t just about how it looked, but also how it moved with me.”
Even the brand name is intentional: “Liaü is a reimagining of my last name that incorporates a symbolic umlaut. I’ve always appreciated the uniqueness of my name, but replacing the ‘w’ was a conscious decision.It was a form of self-reclamation, a way of leaving behind memories I didn’t wish to carry forward, and embracing a redefined version of myself.”
