Genesis, in cooperation with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), selected Grace Ling as the inaugural winner of the AAPI Design + Innovation Grant.
Ling, along with fellow designers Andrew Kwon, Haoran Li, and Siying Qu of Private Policy, took part in a five-month competition to create a bespoke fashion collection that highlighted the tension and balance between their Asian heritage and modernity.
The collections were judged by Jodie Chan, Vice president of global marketing and communications at Carolina Herrera, Laurent Claquin, President of Kering America, Rachel Espersen, Executive director, brand experience, Genesis House & Studios, Steven Kolb, CEO of CFDA), and Wen Zhou, CEO and co-founder of 3.1 Phillip Lim.
Ling remarked, “I am very honoured to be the recipient of Genesis House’s first AAPI Innovation Grant with CFDA. It is a luxury to be able to include modernism, legacy, and invention into my practice, and this has allowed me to do so. Genesis House is really motivating in many ways, and I look forward to carrying these principles with me into my future employment.”
Ling’s collection, inspired by a femme fatale persona and including three unique styles, was praised for using innovative techniques such as 3D printing, as well as Asian history and modern accents.
