The Yu Prize, founded by Wendy Yu to support and champion Chinese fashion designers, has just announced its 10 finalists for its 2022 edition. Alienant, Chan Chit Lo, Didu, Louis Shengtao Chen, Marrknull, Ponder.er, Private Policy, Ruohan, Yirantian, and ZI II CI IEN, are the 10 Chinese brands selected by a panel of experts including Iris van Herpen, Michael Ward, Madame Lu, Mary Katrantzou, Pascal Morand, Renzo Rosso, Sarah Mower, Sara Sozzani Maino, Tasha Liu, Xuan Feng, and Xiao Xue. The winner, to be announced after a showcase on 15 March where designers will present a ready-to-wear look and a conceptual design, will take home a cash prize of 1,000,000 Chinese renminbi as well as a year’s mentorship with Only the Brave, a spot at the Sphere showroom during Paris Fashion Week, a collaboration with Li-Ning, support from Xiaohongshu, and retail support from Harrods. The prize is supported by both the Shanghai Fashion Week and France’s Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
“We want to make the Yu Prize as relevant to real life as possible, helping designers to build powerful industry connections as well as gain access to commercial opportunities,” says the prize’s founder, Wendy Yu. “Our partners and their platforms are crucial in providing this added level of strategic value for participating designers. I’m thrilled that our 10 finalists will not only gain recognition, but also have the chance to collaborate with established brands and pioneering companies such as Li- Ning.”
This year’s winner will follow in the footsteps of the Prize’s inaugural winner, Chenpeng. Speaking to Vogue last year, Yu stressed the importance of celebrating China’s new wave of talents not only as artists but with commercial opportunities: “Because of Covid-19, it [has] become crucial for designers [to] not only think about how to express their creative ideas, but also make sure customers can understand our creativity without the presence of a physical show or traditional retail environment. I always think that good ideas should be easily understood, and the more people, the better. E-commerce is the most essential tool of all in this day and age. We have seen such success stories. And I am hoping to launch a model that’s suited for a designer brand like us. In addition, as part of a young generation of Chinese designers, I would like to do my part in ensuring the global success of ‘created in China.’”
In addition to the grand prize, two winners will also be announced to win collaboration prizes with Ugg and Yumee.
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