After hundreds of hours of work, couture designer Robert Wun takes a flame to his pieces

In the rarefied world of haute couture, where perfection has long been the standard, London-based designer Robert Wun has made imperfection his muse. Known for his sculptural silhouettes and boundary-pushing storytelling, Wun’s latest work embraces fire, smoke, and decay — transforming destruction into an expression of beauty and resilience.

When Wun was nominated for the 2022 Andam Fashion Awards, he didn’t expect to win. The designer stood quietly in the back of the Paris venue, assuming his moment had already passed. But when his name was announced as the Prix Spécial recipient — the runner-up prize worth nearly $120,000 — it became clear that the fashion world was finally catching up to his vision. For Wun, the recognition was not just financial validation, but emotional. “That was the first time I felt like I am actually good enough,” he reflected.

Yet, his journey to this moment was anything but smooth. Despite living and working in London for over 15 years, Wun was never formally supported by the British Fashion Council or included on London Fashion Week’s official schedule. After years of applying for grants and mentorship programs without success, he stopped seeking institutional approval altogether. “I was stubborn enough to keep doing it,” he said. “Eventually, I stopped searching for that approval too.”

That independence became the foundation for his artistic rebellion. Working from a modest East London studio — its brick walls now hidden behind scaffolding — Wun crafts one-of-a-kind garments that can cost upwards of £150,000 (around $200,000). Each piece bears the marks of his experimentation: singed edges, charred textures, and intricate embroidery that reimagines damage as design.

His upcoming exhibition, “Dirty Looks,” opening at London’s Barbican on September 25, celebrates this aesthetic of imperfection. The show spotlights designers exploring decay and deterioration as central themes — a stark contrast to couture’s obsession with flawlessness. Wun’s contribution reflects his fascination with fire, a concept born from his own experience as a smoker. Accidental cigarette burns on his clothes became an unlikely inspiration for a new visual language — one that literally ignites fashion.

Even Wun’s transition to haute couture wasn’t part of his original plan. It was Chanel’s president of fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, who saw the craftsmanship and emotional depth in Wun’s designs and encouraged him to present at Paris Haute Couture Week — an honor reserved for only the most elite artisans. In 2023, Wun unveiled his debut couture collection titled “Fear,” a reflection on vulnerability, destruction, and rebirth.

Now, as his designs — including the “Bleeding Love” gown worn by Beyoncé — appear on the global stage, Wun’s story has come full circle. What began as rejection and doubt has transformed into one of the most compelling narratives in fashion today: a designer who quite literally set his art on fire to prove that beauty can rise from the ashes.