Lasalle College of the Arts fashion design student Lim Su Hui was crowned the winner at Harper’s Bazaar’s NewGen Award 2023 last night. Celebrated for her eco-chic designs that embrace zero-waste practices, Lim’s label, Byu, and her collection “Homeland” stood out on the runway alongside five other NewGen finalists.
Lim Su Hui’s winning designs adhere to a zero-waste philosophy in the pattern-cutting process. The patterns are not based on metric templates; instead, they consist of shapes that can be optimised to effortlessly reuse leftovers or off-cuts.
Presented in collaboration with Chanel and supported by the private Italian school of fashion and design, Istituto Marangoni, the accolade provides Lim with a $10,000 cash prize and sponsorship for a 15-month master’s degree at Istituto Marangoni’s London campus, with a value exceeding $55,000. Harper’s Bazaar Singapore will feature her collection in an upcoming fashion spread, followed by retail availability at Design Orchard.
The looks presented by other finalists of Harper’s Bazaar’s NewGen Award this year include designs by LaSalle College of the Arts student Leong Jia Yin (on the left), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts student To Guan Yu, and Raffles College of Higher Education student Verina Lie.
Kenneth Goh, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, applauds Lim’s circular fashion ethos, hailing her zero-waste practice and the enchanting inspiration drawn from Fort Canning. Lim’s collection, a romantic portrayal of sophistication and fluid shapes, captivated the judges with its storytelling finesse and deep respect for Singaporean icons.
Among the guests who turned up for the Harper’s Bazaar’s NewGen Award 2023 show were (clockwise from top left) cosplayer Hakken, actor Glenn Yong, Filipino actress and model Heart Evangelista and actress Chen Yixin
“Why we decided to choose her as the winning collection was the beautiful medley of storytelling, coupled with a deep respect for iconic spaces in Singapore and a steadfast belief that beauty doesn’t have to come at the price of gratuitous wastage,” he said.
