On March 30, 2026, during Shanghai Fashion Week, the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association (SFDA) unveiled the winners of the inaugural New Wave Fashion Awards.

At the forefront of the evening, Feng Chen Wang was honored with the prestigious Visionary of the Year Award. This distinction recognizes a new breed of 360-degree creative directors: designers capable of shaping not only garments, but entire cultural and brand ecosystems.

The Future Force Award was awarded to Motoguo, celebrating the brand’s success in scaling its creative identity while forging strong commercial pathways.

Meanwhile, the Public Impact Award went to Chén Sifān, founder of the namesake label, whose work resonated widely through a combination of live audience engagement and digital voting.

The three other finalists were: Angus Chiang, Mayali, and 8ON8 by Gong Li.
The prestigious international jury included members such as Angelo Flacovento, Chrystal Zhou, Dan Cui, Godfrey Deeny, Irene Yu, Lucy Xu, Luke Leitch, Lu Yan, Patrick Cha, Sara Sozzani Maino, Tang Shuang, Tasha Liu, Uma Wang, and Tianwei Zhang.

BEYOND COMPETITION
More than a one-time event, the New Wave Fashion Awards positions itself as an evolving platform. By emphasizing versatility, interdisciplinary thinking, and long-term creative development, the initiative reflects a broader shift in how emerging designers are recognized and supported.
THE CITY AS A RUNWAY
From March 25 to 30, six finalist designers transformed Shanghai into a living laboratory of fashion. Presenting site-specific projects across key urban locations, each designer expanded their practice beyond clothing into immersive consumers environments. Through a systematic and experiential approach, fashion became narrative, space, and interaction. These installations invited audiences to engage with design in new ways, blurring the lines between retail, exhibition, and performance.
A NEW MODEL FOR FASHION
This format not only expands the boundaries of fashion presentation, but also offers forward-looking models for the future of fashion consumption. One where designers are not just creators of garments, but architects of culture.