The Tamesis
This year’s Asia 30 Under 30: The Arts list showcases Gen Z talent across disciplines from fashion to classical music and the culinary world.
wattBitch Vita Mandava When she boarded the subway in Brooklyn one day in mid-2024, she had no idea it would end up being a life-changing journey. Hyderabad-born Mandawa was a graduate student in design and media at New York University when she caught the attention of a modeling agent. His claim that walking on the ramp would help her pay off her student debt is believable. Within two weeks, Mandava arrived in Milan to walk her first runway show for Italian luxury fashion brand Bottega Veneta.
Since then, she has blazed a trail, becoming the first Indian model to unveil Chanel’s Maestro collection in December and becoming the muse of the French fashion house’s renowned artistic director, Matthieu Blazy. The collection was presented in an abandoned Manhattan subway station, with Mandawa’s casual sweater and blue jeans ensemble a nod to the outfit she was found wearing.
The 25-year-old’s complete moment instantly grabbed attention, and overnight, she became the most talked about new face in the fashion industry — and for good reason. Mandava is one of 30 entries this year Forbes Asia 30 Under 30: Art ListRepresenting a new generation influencing the world of culture, style, art and cooking, their stories resonate with millions across the region.
I think about how brown girls might feel…what they thought was possible for them has changed. I know how it feels because I was that girl once.
Following her meteoric rise to fame, she was named a Chanel brand ambassador in March and caused a stir by singing solo on the cover of Chanel magazine. British Vogue magazine. In May, she made her first appearance at the Met Gala in New York, wearing couture versions of her iconic Chanel pieces. Mandava, who comes from a middle-class family and graduated last year, said she realized her success was seen as a defining moment for South Asian women on the global fashion stage. “I thought about how brown girls might feel…changed in what they thought was possible for them. I know that feeling because I was once that girl,” she said.
The charm of classical music
Tarmo Peltokoski, Music Director-designate of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
Photos provided: Copyright www.peterrigaud.com
Talents from Asia are also making waves in the world of classical music, injecting youthful vitality into centuries-old traditions and redefining the face of a modern master.
2024, Finnish-Filipino conductor and pianist Talmo Pertokoski Appointed as new music director Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestrathe youngest person ever to hold that title. After serving as designated Music Director for the current season, Pertokoski will take over the role in the 2026/27 season for a four-year term. He is conductor laureate of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and has served as guest conductor of the German Chamber Orchestra of Bremen, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the NHK Symphony Orchestra of Japan. Petokoski began studying conducting at the age of 14 and trained at the Sibelius Academy in Finland, and later won the 2023 OPUS Klassik Young Talent of the Year Award.[isconductorlaureateoftheLatvianNationalSymphonyOrchestraandhasguestconductedfortheGermanChamberOrchestraofBremen(DeutscheKammerphilharmonieBremen)theLondonPhilharmonicOrchestraandJapan’sNHKSymphonyOrchestraPeltokoskipickedupconductingattheageof14wastrainedattheSibeliusAcademyinFinlandandwentontowinthe2023OPUSKlassikYoungTalentoftheYearaward[isconductorlaureateoftheLatvianNationalSymphonyOrchestraandhasguestconductedfortheGermanChamberOrchestraofBremen(DeutscheKammerphilharmonieBremen)theLondonPhilharmonicOrchestraandJapan’sNHKSymphonyOrchestraPeltokoskipickedupconductingattheageof14wastrainedattheSibeliusAcademyinFinlandandwentontowinthe2023OPUSKlassikYoungTalentoftheYearaward
Also in Hong Kong, Shen Yashi In 2025, he won the first prize in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and became the first musician in Hong Kong to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The pianist has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and others. Shen graduated from Harvard University’s dual-major program with a bachelor’s degree in economics and received a master’s degree in music from the New England Conservatory of Music, before studying at Sweden’s Ingerson Conservatory of Music and the Juilliard School.
Indonesian composer Yunik Tanzil.
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Born in Sumatra, Indonesian composer and pianist Yunik Tanzil Moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music. She later received a full scholarship to the Juilliard School to study with Oscar-winning composer John Corigliano. Her compositions have been performed by major orchestras around the world, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2024, she became the first Asian female composer to sign a contract with Deutsche Grammophon, and in the same year she collaborated with Grammy-winning singer Laufey. Tanzil has also contributed to Hollywood films such as “The Addams Family 2” and DreamWorks’ “Junky Dollhouse: The Movie.”
In Japan, he started learning violin at the age of 3 and was admitted to the famous Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia at the age of 10. sunflower In 2025, she made her debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, becoming the youngest Asian soloist in the orchestra’s history. She has won approximately 40 top prizes in global competitions such as the Lipinski & Wieniawski International Violin Competition and the Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition, and signed an exclusive contract with the Decca Classics label in 2025.
Food: from passion to business
This year’s list also spotlights the region’s budding culinary entrepreneurs who are turning their passion for cooking into emerging businesses.
Cen Lizhen After initially working as a home baker, Nasty Cookie was founded in Singapore in 2018 and is known for its thick, chewy cookies. The former fitness trainer and bodybuilder has since grown the brand to six locations in Singapore, including Orchard Gate Mall and Changi Airport. Nasty Cookie offers 11 flavors, from dark chocolate to raspberry lemonade, as well as limited editions like kaya cheese. Sum said Nasty Cookie sells about 2,500 cookies a day through its retail stores, as well as taking online orders and shipping worldwide. In 2024, Sum launched Nasty Bakehouse, an independent cafe serving baked goods.
Similarly, Hong Kong bakers Ankrish Gidwani At the age of 12, he launched the Baking Maniac blog and grew it into a small baking business while still in school. In 2017, after receiving a bachelor’s degree in hotel and tourism management from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Gidwani started working in baking full-time. Baking Maniac operates an online store selling custom cakes and other sweets. The Instagram-friendly brand has more than 150 corporate clients, including private equity firm Blackstone and fashion house Dior. Gidwani credits his mother as an early inspiration for baking.
Elise Hilliam, co-founder of Appetise.
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In Australia, Elise Hilliam, A graduate of the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Otago aims to make healthy meal preparation easier for busy people by Appetizinga business she co-founded with her husband Toby, who is in his 30s.
Through Appetise’s mobile app, users can choose from more than 3,500 recipes and instantly receive a list of ingredients that they can click to purchase directly from their local supermarket. In February, the company raised A$7 million (US$4.9 million) in a Series A funding round led by Icehouse Ventures, with participation from existing investors OIF Ventures, Brand Fund, NZVC and K1W1. Appetise said it has more than 110,000 active users and works with more than 150 FMCG brands.
Also in Australia, Jason Tan Founded Melbourne-based Kumo Desserts, which specializes in Instagram-worthy fluffy soufflé pancakes. (Kumo means cloud in Japanese.) Kumo’s dishes incorporate elements of Asian cuisine, such as the Boba Brûlée Bomb, a combination of brown sugar pancakes and boba pearls. Tan leads Kumo’s expansion into beverages with the independent brand Kumo Brewhouse. Tan initially opened a series of pop-up restaurants called Kumo Kumo with his brother Jin, who is in his 30s, before opening his first dine-in restaurant in 2023.
rising artist
A total of 14 artists and photographers are on the list this year. Their work spans a range of topics in various fields. including India’s Mumita Basak, An interdisciplinary artist and self-described ecofeminist, she incorporates discarded fabrics and other materials into tapestries depicting the female body, often alongside symbols of nature and domesticity.
Also from India, Rajadarshini KK is a photographer whose work blends fashion, documentary and portrait photography to explore themes of identity and community. Her most recent project, Sisters of the Sea, documents the lives and labors of female seaweed farmers in coastal towns in southern India.
Indian artist Mumita Basak.
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Lives in Australia, born in South Africa Werner Bronkhorst is a painter known for his works that juxtapose surreal small figures with large abstract landscapes. Bronkhorst, a former furniture designer, developed his signature style in 2022, shortly after the birth of his daughter. He has since grown to 1.8 million followers on Instagram and 870,000 followers on TikTok.
Read our full Art list here – And be sure to check out our full content Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 2026 Coverage here.
