Asia Forward

“It’s a roller coaster. And actually, that is the reason why I never stopped trying.”Filipino American fashion designer Veejay Floresva spent years rebuilding her career in the U.S. before winning “Project Runway” Season 21 in 2025. With that win, she became the first Filipina and the first trans woman to win the American edition of the show.In this episode of Asia Forward, she looks back on the path that took her from “Project Runway Philippines” to the U.S. fashion industry, and most recently, New York Fashion Week.Floresca talks about moving to the U.S., starting over as an immigrant and trans woman, and why she kept applying to “Project Runway” for 15 years before being selected. She also reflects on what winning the competition changed for her, both personally and professionally.The conversation also looks at how her Filipino background continues to shape her work, including her use of materials sourced from the Philippines, such as piña and banig, as well as the Filipino influences in her Spring/Summer 2027 NYFW presentation.Floresca talks about the business behind her brand, including her decisions to go for custom-made fashion instead of ready-to-wear, her belief in size inclusivity and the challenge of balancing creativity with long-term growth.Looking ahead, she shares how she sees the Filipino fashion industry developing over the next five to 10 years and what it will take for more Filipino designers to reach U.S. and international markets. Chapters:00:43 Introduction1:23 How Veejay Floresca looks back on her Spring/Summer 2027 NYFW presentation.2:05 Why Veejay Floresca thinks NYFW is important.2:46 How Veejay Floresca became interested in fashion and started her career in the Philippines.5:53 How Veejay Floresca competed in Project Runway Philippines.6:54 How winning Project Runway Philippines helped launch Veejay Floresca’s career.7:27 How Veejay Floresca decided to come to the U.S. to pursue her graduate degree in fashion.8:31 How Veejay Floresca decided to stay in America as a trans woman.10:03 Why Veejay Floresca spent 15 years applying to the U.S. edition of Project Runway.13:03 How Veejay Floresca looks back on her experience in Project Runway Season 21.14:30 What valuable lessons Veejay Floresca learned from competing on Project Runway.15:57 What winning Project Runway Season 21 meant to Veejay Floresca.16:55 How Veejay Floresca’s experience as a Filipino immigrant influences her designs.19:46 How the public responded to Veejay Floresca’s newest collection featuring Barong Tagalog and other Filipino design elements.21:30 How Veejay Floresca balances the creative and business sides, and Filipino and American fashion.22:59 How Veejay Floresca sources materials from the Philippines, including piña and banig.25:05 How Veejay Floresca sets herself apart from other New York designers.25:55 Why Veejay Floresca chooses making custom-made fashion over ready-to-wear.29:29 Why Veejay Floresca believes in size inclusivity.30:57 What challenges Veejay Floresca sees for Filipino designers trying to enter international markets.32:57 How mentors have shaped Veejay Floresca’s career as a fashion designer.34:20 How Veejay Floresca views her role as a Filipino representative in the fashion industry34:59 Where Veejay Floresva sees the Filipino fashion industry in 5-10 years.

“Indonesia is a sexy story. We just don’t talk about it too much,” says Pandu Sjahrir, Chief Investment Officer of Danantara Indonesia, the country’s newest sovereign wealth fund, as he lays out Indonesia’s investment case for global investors. Recorded in New York City during the U.N. General Assembly, episode 18 of Asia Forward looks at what U.S. investors should understand about Danantara, Indonesia’s investment strategy and the sectors drawing global interest. Sjahrir explains to host Ledy Simarmata how Danantara is restructuring state-owned enterprises, building relationships with global capital allocators and looking for opportunities in sectors including digital infrastructure, energy, financial services and food security. The episode also discusses Danantara’s first U.S. dollar bond, its investment-grade credit ratings, governance standards and the pressure that comes with managing a large portfolio of state assets. A central theme of the conversation is Danantara’s focus on human capital. Sjahrir says its investments are intended not only to generate returns, but also to bring knowledge, technology and global expertise back to Indonesia. He describes Danantara as a platform for Indonesian professionals and companies to compete at a global level, while using international partnerships to strengthen capabilities at home. He also speaks candidly about the high level of public scrutiny surrounding Danantara and the expectations that come with managing state assets on behalf of the country. For Sjahrir, that pressure is part of the job. As he puts it, “The job is to deliver.”On Indonesia’s broader investment case, Sjahrir describes the challenge as “the art of selling a nation,” making the case for Indonesia through its market size, natural resources and talent to build long-term partnerships with global investors. The conversation also covers Indonesia’s changing economic leadership, including a new finance minister and central bank governor, at a time when investors are closely watching Indonesia’s fiscal policy and the rupiah. Sjahrir talks about the importance of coordination among Indonesia’s leaders and what that could mean for investor confidence.The episode also looks at where Danantara sees opportunities for U.S. investors, including AI, data centers and other digital infrastructure, as well as energy and financial services. Sjahrir mentions growing interest from global investors and the role technology and knowledge transfer could play in Indonesia’s next phase of growth.Looking ahead, he reflects on what Danantara could become over the next decade and where U.S.-Indonesia investment ties could be stronger. For Sjahrir, the long-term goal is not simply to attract capital, but also to build partnerships that help Indonesian companies and professionals compete globally.

Who owns art, and who gets to share it? In episode 17 of Asia Forward, host Ei Thant Sin speaks with Joanna Gohmann, Associate Curator of Provenance & Object Histories at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, about how museums approach questions of ownership, provenance, repatriation and shared stewardship. Gohmann explains how researchers trace the movement and ownership of objects over time, what can be lost when artifacts are removed without proper documentation, and why legal ownership and ethical responsibility do not always lead to the same answer. The conversation looks closely at Cambodia, where the museum recently returned three sculptures after provenance research indicated they most likely left the country during the Khmer Rouge period. Gohmann also discusses the museum’s ongoing work with Cambodian partners, including joint research and the continued display of some Cambodian objects through collaboration and loans. One example is the monumental 11th-century bronze Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta, now on loan to the museum from the National Museum of Cambodia as part of the Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean exhibition. The episode also explores the museum’s partnerships with Indonesian museums, the importance of Southeast Asian art to diaspora communities, Burmese Kammavaca manuscripts in the collection, and the Prehistoric Spirals exhibition featuring ancient earthenware from Thailand.Gohmann also reflects on how partnerships with researchers and institutions in Southeast Asia are changing the way museums study, interpret and care for collections, and why those relationships matter for the future of provenance research. 0:25 Introduction 1:33 What is provenance research? 2:54 Why an object’s ownership history matters 4:19 How researchers trace an object’s journey 6:50 What gets lost when art is removed from its context 9:08 How the Smithsonian traced Cambodian sculptures 10:02 What repatriation means for Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art’s U.S.-Cambodia museum partnership, what Cambodia got back and what remains on display 14:03 How Smithsonian’s NMAA also partners with Indonesian museums 15:55 Who should decide where cultural objects belong? 19:23 How Burmese manuscripts at Smithsonian’s NMAA show why Southeast Asian art matters to diaspora communities 21:04 How Smithsonian’s NMAA partnerships benefit the museum and its counterparts 22:06 How Smithsonian’s NMAA researchers study ancient Thai earthenware 24:22 What drew Joanna Gohmann to Asian art and provenance research 26:58 Where Smithsonian’s NMAA U.S.-Southeast Asia museum partnerships go next

Vietnam is Southeast Asia's fastest-growing economy and, as Ted Osius, a former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, puts it, already a "tiger" of the region. In this episode of Asia Forward, Osius joins Ledy Simarmata to discuss what is driving Vietnam's growth, why foreign companies are investing there and what U.S. businesses should understand before entering the market. The conversation looks at the legacy of Đổi Mới, how those reforms helped shape Vietnam’s economic growth and why advanced technology including artificial intelligence is emerging as the most promising sector fas it works to build a more highly skilled workforce. Osius also discusses the country’s efforts to reduce bureaucracy, improve transparency and address corruption, including how the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act influences how American companies operate in Vietnam. The conversation also explores Vietnam’s infrastructure needs and the role of the new Vietnam International Financial Center. The episode covers how the China Plus One strategy benefits Vietnam and how the country balances its economic relationships with both the United States and China. Osius draws on more than three decades of experience with Vietnam, including his time as U.S. ambassador, his work at Google Asia-Pacific and his tenure as president and CEO of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council. 0:27 Introduction 1:57 How Ted Osius developed personal ties with Vietnam. 3:49 How Vietnam became Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economy. 4:31 What Đổi Mới changed for Vietnam. 6:24 How Vietnam’s socialism coexists with an open business environment. 7:41 How technology and investment are shaping Vietnam’s next phase. 10:27 How American business has become increasingly interested in Vietnam. 12:11 What American business confidence in Vietnam looks like today. 15:00 How the China Plus One strategy is benefiting Vietnam. 18:40 How Vietnam ranks in the Transparency International Corruption Index 22:43 What Foreign Corrupt Practices Act means for U.S. businesses in Vietnam. 24:26 What the Vietnam International Financial Center (VIFC) could mean for investors. 27:27 Whether Vietnam has the skilled workforce for its next stage of growth. 30:10 Where U.S. companies may find the biggest opportunities in Vietnam. 33:19 How Vietnam balances its economic ties with the U.S. and China. 35:08 How American businesses can compete in Vietnam 36:11 What Vietnam’s economy could look like in the next 5-10 years.

Cambodia has drawn international attention over online scam centers, human trafficking and organized crime, raising concerns about the country’s reputation among investors and travelers. At the same time, its digital economy is growing, new industries are developing and the United States remains Cambodia’s largest export market. In this episode of Asia Forward, host Ei Thant Sin speaks with Christopher McCarthy, Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia about what American businesses should know before investing in the country. They discuss the government’s crackdown on scam centers, the sharp decline in tourism and the impact of the border conflict with Thailand. McCarthy also talks about China’s large investment presence, where U.S. companies can compete, Cambodia’s digital payments sector and what the country needs to do to attract more American investment. Chapters: 0:35 Introduction2:22 How has Cambodia’s economy changed in the past decades? 3:52 Does Cambodia have the workforce businesses need? 5:16 How have scam centers affected U.S. businesses? 6:46 How is Cambodia cracking down on online scams? 8:59 How have scam centers hurt Cambodia’s reputation and tourism? 12:27 Why is Cambodia still attractive to U.S. investors? 13:27 Have Cambodia’s scam center crackdowns eased investor concerns? 14:32 Which sectors offer the biggest opportunities for U.S. businesses? 16:03 Can U.S. businesses compete with China in Cambodia? 18:01 How advanced is Cambodia’s digital economy? 20:14 How does Cambodia’s dollarized economy benefit businesses? 21:39 What role can the Cambodian diaspora play? 23:26 What should U.S. companies know before entering Cambodia? 25:25 How to find a local partner in Cambodia? 26:07 What could Cambodia’s business environment look like in 10 years?