The Designer
Fashion designer. Activist. Change-maker.
The youngest Asian-American to exhibit at New York Fashion Week. Five collections. Every one tied to a cause — from Stop Asian Hate to coral reef conservation. Featured in Vogue, the Ellen Show, and an Emmy-winning documentary.
Where It Started
It started at sewing camp. Ashlyn came home at six years old, sat down at the machine, and never got up. She'd been picking out her own outfits since she was 15 months old — her mom gave up choosing by the time she was 18 months.
By 9, she showed her first collection at New York Fashion Week. By 12, she was sewing masks for frontline workers during a pandemic. By 13, she was organizing rallies in her hometown. Fashion was never just about clothes. It was the voice she didn't know she had.
Emmy-Winning Documentary
ABC Originals mini documentary on Ashlyn So's journey from design to activism.
Philosophy
Ashlyn designs, drapes, pins, and sews every garment herself. She constructs through trial and error — often spending more time unpicking than stitching — to create sculptural, avant-garde pieces from unconventional materials: zip ties, plastic spheres, chrome fabric, hand-folded organza.
Every collection carries a message. Fashion, for Ashlyn, is a conversation starter — a way to make people talk about things that are hard to talk about.
“Fashion gives people an identity and a voice.”
Artivism
When the pandemic hit, Ashlyn pivoted from the runway to the sewing machine — producing 1,000 masks for frontline workers. E! named her a People's Hero, presented by Demi Lovato.
When anti-Asian violence surged in 2021, she organized Stop Asian Hate rallies across the Bay Area, uniting hundreds. She spoke at conferences, appeared on the Ellen Show with Tiffany Haddish, and was profiled in Teen Vogue and Seventeen.
At 14, she addressed the United Nations on ending racism and building peace. At 15, she designed a collection about mental health. At 17, she turned to coral reef conservation.
“I had a lot to say, but I was never really able to say it. I wasn't doing this for myself — I was doing this for a much bigger movement.”
The Journey
Begged her mom to attend sewing camp. Came home obsessed. Never stopped.
Became the youngest Asian-American to exhibit at New York Fashion Week with her Pin2Gether collection.
Returned to NYFW with a new collection. When the pandemic hit, sewed 1,000 masks for frontline workers.
Named a People’s Hero at the E! People’s Choice Awards, presented by Demi Lovato.
Organized Stop Asian Hate rallies in the Bay Area. Featured on Teen Vogue, Seventeen, POPSUGAR, and the Ellen Show.
Third NYFW show — a collection about looking beyond skin color and prejudice. Subject of an Emmy-winning ABC documentary.
Debuted at Paris Fashion Week with “Be Water,” inspired by Bruce Lee. Spoke at the United Nations on ending racism and building peace.
Presented “Unseen” — her first solo show exploring mental health, with live cello and her debut menswear line. Vogue named her a designer to watch.
Debuted at The Glasshouse with 12 coral-reef-inspired dresses. 15% of revenue funds reef restoration.
Behind the Scenes
The Team
Operations Director
By day, Angela designs buildings around the world as a full-time architect. By night (and every weekend, and every fashion week), she manages every aspect of Ashlyn So's brand — from logistics and production to strategy and travel.
“A person's fashion style is a significant element of one's voice that should be welcomed and respected.”
Ready to work together? Whether it's custom couture, press, or a collaboration — let's talk.