Issey Miyake favored creation over destruction

The world lost two iconic Japanese fashion designers this month. Issey Miyake, known for his micro-pleated creations, died of liver cancer at the age of 84, while Hanae Mori, nicknamed "Madame Butterfly" for her signature butterfly motifs, died at age 96 at her Tokyo home.

Born in Hiroshima, Miyake was a survivor of the 1945 atomic bombing, which eventually took his mother's life as a result of radiation exposure. The renowned designer needed to use a cane for most of his life due to a pronounced limp. "But I don't want to blame anyone," Miyake said. "I would rather create something new than destroy."

During his lifetime, he explored the relationships between clothes and the human physique, creating clothing based on his "piece of cloth" concept, which was inspired by the traditions of the kimono.

Hanae Mori saw women's success, Japan's revival in butterfly motif

Mori was the first Japanese person to be listed as an official "haute couture" designer in Paris in 1977. The pioneering fashion designer found success as a creator of various cinema costumes and was acclaimed for fusing Eastern and Western traditions. She was also a symbol for the rise of working women in postwar Japan.

She strived to showcase the beauty of Japanese culture and designs on the global stage, embodying her strength through her trademark butterfly designs. "Butterflies appear to be quite fragile, but they have a surprisingly sturdy core."

Hong Kong neon fades into history

Neon signs, which became synonymous with old Hong Kong thanks to the films of director Wong Kar Wai, first became popular in the 1950s. Now they are disappearing from the city's streets.

"There were so many signs back then, it was very beautiful at night," recalled Yuen Siu-yam, a 73-year-old third-generation business owner of the Hop Hing Hotpot restaurant, whose 4-meter neon board was dismantled recently after nearly three decades.

The signpost removals have not only stripped Hong Kong of character but have led to a dwindling number of workshops, impacting an industry that relied on the craftsmanship of bending glass tubes to create the distinct Chinese characters.

From headhunting to weaponized drones: Myanmar's Wa carve own path

Feared as fierce fighters and denigrated as mountain savages, Myanmar's Wa ethnic community fields the largest nonstate army in Asia, which will be a key military and political player no matter how Myanmar's current chaos ends.

The Wa have resisted rule by the Chinese, the British and Myanmar's majority Burman group, pretty much carving out a virtually independent nation for itself. The community has been shunned by the outside world, with the exception of China, for its decadeslong involvement in drug trafficking. But the self-named Wa State is not a narco-state of cash-rich drug lords. Rather, it is regulated by a dozen government bureaus, including institutions with responsibility for issues like education, agriculture, public relations and women's affairs.

Despite once being one of Southeast Asia's most marginalized groups, the Wa community has steadily carved its own path. Now, the younger generation holds the key to its future evolution.