Rising designer Grace Ling knows how to create a darkly romantic vibe; her spring 2025 runway show was backed by a smoldering black rock set, and her collection was another step in building the codes of her four-year-old feminine futuristic fashion brand.
The Singaporean-born, New York-based winner of this year’s CFDA/Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant (and its $100,000 prize) was inspired by primitive chic for her second runway outing. Many of the sheer body-con looks had singed or scorched edges, while tailoring appeared to be decaying on the body. Claw-like hardware on knits and notched into waistbands added to the fierce visual branding.
Having studied at both Central Saint Martins and Parsons, Ling clearly knows a thing or two about creating runway drama, and has already dressed drama-loving divas Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. Cue the finale piece, made for a thrill-singing star — a couture-like chrome birds nest as minidress that the model gamely steered down the runway.
Ling also debuted a striking new accessory with computer electronics company Humane. The Grace Ling x Humane Handaxe clutch designed to resemble the Neolithic tool has an AI pin with voice-enabled personal assistance.
Ling sells at Net-a-porter, Fwrd, Bergdorf Goodman and Selfridges, and her line is available at her own website, gracelingofficial.com.