On December 6, the first Sustainable Innovation Asian Fashion Award (SUSTASIA FASHION PRIZE), jointly organized by the Shanghai Fashion Design Association and yehyehyeh Innovation Society, announced the list of finalists.
Hailing from six countries, the designer finalists were selected based on their use of sustainable materials, design language and craftsmanship contemporaneity, diverse experiments in clothes-making processes, and a considered exploration of other environmentally beneficial production methods. The designers are aged between 18 and 40 and each have at least three years of experience in commercial fashion design.
The finalists are:
• Tommy Ambiyo Tedji (Byo) from Indonesia
• Pratyush Kumar (PIEUX) from India
• Kha Hoang Ngo (KHAAR) from Vietnam
• Jaggy Glarino (Jaggy) from the Philippines
• Karmuel Young (KARMUEL YOUNG) from Hong Kong, China • Angel Chen (ANGEL CHEN) from China
• Ruohan Nie (RUOHAN) from China
• Tetsuya Doi (RequaL≡) from Japan
The eight finalists are gathering in Shanghai on December 6, 2024, for the Shan Future Challenge workshop organized by yehyehyeh, Shanghai Fashion Designers Association, and SUSTASIA FASHION PRIZE innovation partner MATTTER. During the workshop, designers are introduced to next-gen materials developed by leading global industry players, such as Bio-based leather alternatives by Modern Meadow and Oleatex, organic silk by OTEX, plant-based fur BioFluff by Savian, Brewed Protein fiber by Spider, microbial dyed cashmere by ZENO and ERDOS, recycled fiber FINEX by Sateri, compostable polyester CELYS, recycled nylon InResST, recycled wool by Woolmark and Nanshan Fashion, Color Shift waterless dyeing by Advance Denim, etc. These materials will lay the groundwork for the designer's final collections.
The eight finalists will embark on working with these sustainable innovative materials to craft their final competition piece. From these final works, the jury will crown one grand prize winner, awarding RMB 100,000 and offering exclusive opportunities to partner with high-end retail channels, transforming their designs into market-ready creations. Additionally, all finalists will receive tailored mentorship and training from industry associations and expert advisors, culminating in the exhibition of their work during the prestigious AW25 Shanghai Fashion Week in March 2025.
Shaway Yeh, founder of the SUSTASIA FASHION PRIZE and yehyehyeh said: "The talent search process has been an interesting and intense review of the diversity of contemporary Asian culture. Through exchanges with talented designers from different countries, we have learned about the richness, ingenuity and creative vitality that have at times been obscured or undervalued by the current fashion system. At the same time, the process of curating the next-gen materials highlighted just how exciting the frontiers of sustainable innovation are across the global fashion industry today. Our ambition is for the SUSTASIA FASHION PRIZE to not only reward excellence and serve as matchmaker between designers and material providers but also for it to bear tangible fruit in the form of the fashion designs that emerges from these exciting pairings.”
Madam Xiaolei Lv,Secretary General of Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee and Executive Vice Chairman of Shanghai Fashion Designer Association, commented, “This professional competition not only uncovers and nurtures local Chinese and Asian sustainable design talents, but also provides a platform for new ideas and perspectives, inspiring future fashion development. It also connects the entire industry value chain, promoting the integration of local design with Asia's broader industrial system, and fostering international exchange and sustainable industry growth.”
JNBY, a renown Chinese designer brand, has joined as the Principal Partner of the Sustasia Fashion Prize. The brand philosophy of "Just Naturally Be Yourself" is deeply rooted in people's hearts. JNBY will work together with the organizers to promote the mission of the Prize: to champion young designers; drive material innovation; promote sustainable practices; encourage Industry-wide change; and unite style and sustainability.