Genesis, CFDA name Grace Ling as winner of inaugural AAPI Design + Innovation Grant

Genesis, in collaboration with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), announced on Thursday Grace Ling as the first-ever AAPI Design + Innovation Grant winner. 

As part of the competition, Ling, alongside fellow designers Andrew Kwon, and Haoran Li and Siying Qu of Private Policy, participated in a competition that involved creating a bespoke fashion collection that highlighted the tension and balance between their Asian heritage and modernity over the course of five months.

The collections were judged by Jodie Chan (vice president of global marketing & communications at Carolina Herrera); Laurent Claquin (president of Kering Americas); 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).

“I am very honored to be the recipient of Genesis House’s first AAPI Innovation Grant with CFDA,” said Ling. “It is a privilege to be able to combine modernity, heritage and innovation in my practice, and this has given me the opportunity to do so. Genesis House is very inspiring in these aspects and I look forward to taking these values with me in my future work.”

Ling’s collection, inspired by a femme fatale character and comprising three distinct looks, was recognized for employing innovative techniques like 3D printing, combined with elements of Asian heritage and modern touches.

“Each of the three finalists of the inaugural CFDA | Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant program showcased exceptional work, which made the selection of a winner very difficult,” said Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA.

”Congratulations to Grace Ling and as well as Andrew Kwon and Private Policy. We look forward to seeing you continue to build your brands in innovative ways while honoring the invaluable contributions the AAPI community has made to American fashion.”

Genesis and the CFDA first announced their initiative to support the next generation of AAPI fashion designers in June 2023. The designers received a $40,000 grant on behalf of Genesis to finance their design innovations. Ling was awarded an additional $60,000 for the development of her collection, bringing her total grant award to $100,000.

The winner was announced at a private event held at Genesis House on Wednesday. The event also featured a showcase of select iconic pieces from renowned AAPI fashion designers. The final designs will remain on display at Genesis House, through March 3.