The Fashion World Bows to Kim Shui
By Kelli Luu | 14 Sep, 2025

Her unapologetic blending of tradition and dazzle infuses Chinese heritage into her powerful runway looks.

Want to know the one fashion designer that every it-girl is obsessing over? It's Kim Shui and if you haven’t heard of her, then you’ve at least seen her work on your favorite celebrities. 

Chinese-American Kim Shui was born in the United States, but was raised in Italy, which completely explains where her talent comes from. As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Shui always felt that she naturally stood out, especially growing up in Rome. 

When she got older, Shui decided that she wanted to embrace her otherness and that is exactly what her designs encompass. You can clearly see her commitment to paying homage to her heritage while still blending it with modern pizazz. 

After following her parents wishes and graduating from Duke University in 2011 with an economics degree, Kim Shui studied fashion design at the Parsons School of Design in New York and Central Saint Martins in the UK. 

She later moved back to New York and finally launched her brand in 2016 bringing a storm into the fashion scene along with her. During New York Fashion Week that year, Kim Shui won the VFiles runway competition which is equivalent to a stamp of approval for emerging designers. Winning this competition gave her the chance to showcase her designs at New York Fashion Week in front of some of fashion’s biggest heavy hitters.

This moment was pivotal for Shui’s career as many editors couldn’t keep her name out of the press. Major magazines like The New York Times and Vogue were itching to feature Shui and her designs and some of entertainment’s most well known names started to get their hands on some of her pieces. Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa, and members of K-pop group BLACKPINK have all been spotted rocking Kim Shui designs.

The East meets West fashion is so feminine and so powerful. She uses textures, animal prints, and corset tops to bring out the boldness of any outfit. She incorporates beautiful traditional Chinese clothing and turns it into something sparkly, sexy, and completely wearable. 

One of the biggest obstacles that Shui has overcome is navigating between cultures and her mission is to design clothing that women can wear as a means of self expression and empowerment. Some of the non-Chinese women wearing Shui’s designs have been accused of cultural appropriation, but she has always made her clothes with the intent for everyone to wear them. 

In 2019 Kim Shui made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and Time Magazine referred to her as a ‘Next Generation Leader’ recognizing the influence she is bringing to the fashion scene. 

Kim Shui has perfected one of the most unique fashion styles the runways have ever seen. She’s dressed some of the world’s favorite stars, made fashion headlines, and developed a look that was unapologetically hers. The industry’s best editors know her, it-girls know her, and now so do you so make sure to keep an eye out because every collection Kim Shui drops is unforgettable.