New Award Spotlighting Sustainable Fashion Talents in Asia to Commence in Shanghai

Tianwei Zhang
·3 min read

The Sustasia Fashion Prize, a new fashion prize cohosted by the Shanghai Fashion Designer Association and Shaway Yeh’s sustainability agency Yehyehyeh, is looking to hand out cash and industry support to those who are promoting sustainable practices and accelerating innovation in the fashion industry in Asia.

Open for application online until Oct. 31, the prize is aimed at young designers who are from the Asia region, between the ages of 18 and 40 years old, and possess a minimum of three years of experience in producing commercially available collections.

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Applicants should demonstrate an understanding of and experience in implementing sustainable practices throughout the apparel supply chain, including innovative approaches to fabric and textile usage, by answering the self-assessment questionnaire.

By mid-November, eight finalists will be selected by a panel of local experts including Svida Alisjahbana, chairman of Jakarta Fashion Week; Kaoru Imajo, director at Japan Fashion Week; Priyanka Khanna, innovation director at Fashion for Good; Kullawit Laosuksri, editor in chief at Vogue Thailand; Tasha Liu, founder of Labelhood Cintia Nunes and general manager and head of Asia at The Mills Fabrica; Dee Poon, managing director of Esquel; Darshana Gajare, head of sustainability at Lakme Fashion Week, and Yeh herself.

Each finalist will be given 10,000 renminbi, or $1,400, and paired with a material developer to create a look for the final, slated for March during the fall 2025 edition of Shanghai Fashion Week. The looks will be judged on whether they can set new standards in style while championing sustainability.

The winner will be awarded 100,000 renminbi, or $14,000, with additional support in retail, opportunities for material and brand collaborations, and mentorship.

“Asia is one of the most culturally dynamic regions in the world. with its wealth of diverse talents, artistic heritages and rapid innovation, we believe the next-gen sustainability solution will emerge here,” said Yeh, who has long been an advocate for sustainable practices in China, advising major players such as Kering, Prada and Stella McCartney.

“We would like to encourage next-gen talents working with next-gen materials to design outfits that are fashion forward and future proof, creating garments that set new standards in style while championing sustainability. Moreover, I hope that this prize will evolve into a platform where innovative forces and design excellence across the region meet and propel sustainable transformation within the fashion industry with a distinctly Asian perspective,” she added.

Lv Xiaolei, the former secretary-general of Shanghai Fashion Week who is now leading the transformation of the Shanghai Fashion Designer Association, a recently revived initiative founded in 2009 to promote Chinese fashion creative talents on the global stage, said the prize serves as an opportunity to cultivate local and Asian design talents who are engaged in the field of sustainability and let new perspectives and propositions around fashion be seen on a broader platform.

“The concept of sustainability is an important direction for the industry both in China and globally. I hope the competition can spark new ideas and promote the use of cutting-edge materials, connecting creativity with the entire industrial supply chain, and facilitating the international exchange between China and the world,” added Lv.

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