During the vibrant proceedings of Shanghai Fashion Week, one event captured the spotlight for championing sustainability in fashion across Asia — the inaugural Sustasia Fashion Prize by yehyehyeh. This landmark competition, held in collaboration with the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association, honored Chinese designer Ruohan Nie as its first-ever winner. Known for her label Ruohan, which has gained widespread popularity since its 2021 debut, Nie’s groundbreaking approach to fashion sustainability earned her the coveted top spot.
The winner was announced during a high-profile ceremony on March 28 at Shanghai’s Suhe Haus, a cultural hub that also hosts the Out of Asia exhibition — a curated showcase of all eight finalists’ work. Alongside Nie, the lineup included prominent talents from across the continent: Karmuel Young (Hong Kong), Jaggy Glarino (Philippines), Kha Hoang Ngo (Vietnam), Angel Chen (China), Pratyush Kumar (India), Tetsuya Doi (Japan), and Tommy Ambiyo Tedji (Indonesia).
Ruohan Nie received a 100,000 yuan (approximately US$14,000) cash prize in recognition of her design philosophy, which challenges conventional clothing norms. Her pieces often transcend typical garment definitions, creating fluid forms that blur the lines between tops, trousers, and other categories. Her innovative use of organic satin fabric and an “overlocking” assembly method — piecing together 1,200 satin squares by hand without traditional sewing — played a key role in her victory.
The competition was judged by an impressive panel including Chinese tennis icon Li Na, Earthshot Prize Asia lead Sarah Cragg, Andrew Wu, president of LVMH Greater China, and Shaway Yeh, founder of yehyehyeh and a pioneer in China’s sustainability scene. Yeh praised the finalists for their fusion of heritage techniques and futuristic materials, calling it a testament to the future of fashion design.
“The biggest surprise comes from the amazing combination of traditional craftsmanship [and] cultural heritage with the most technologically advanced materials,” Yeh noted. “And all for a plant-positive creative strategy. We feel this serves the model of next-gen design and fashion.”
Ruohan, a Parsons School of Design graduate and one of Fashion Asia Hong Kong’s 10 Asian Designers to Watch, earned her title after a months-long final round beginning in December 2024, where finalists were tasked with creating looks using innovative, sustainable materials. Her final showcase during Shanghai Fashion Week impressed judges not only with technical execution but also with its commitment to environmental ethics and artistic storytelling.
With its successful debut and support from industry leaders, the Sustasia Fashion Prize signals a powerful new chapter in sustainable fashion across Asia. It not only highlights emerging talent but also provides a platform for dialogue and progress in eco-conscious design — proving that fashion and sustainability can go hand in hand on the global stage.
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