Chinese fashion designers’ next big step? Paris, experts say, as Fashion Week event highlights rising names and their potential industry moves

Paris Fashion Week kicked off with the glamorous Yu Prize event highlighting rising Chinese designers in the industry

More Chinese designers than ever are turning their eyes towards making it big in the world’s fashion capital, which is seen as ‘the next big step or milestone’

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Wendy Yu (centre back) and others at the Yu Prize cocktail event. The entrepreneur and investor co-hosted an event at the start of Paris Fashion Week to toast rising Chinese designers. Photo: Yu Holdings

Published: 4:15am, 4 Oct 2023Updated: 5:12am, 4 Oct 2023

This year’s Paris Fashion Week kicked off with a glamorous Yu Prize event, where fashion insiders gathered to toast rising Chinese designers.

The Yu Prize, an award and fashion programme founded by entrepreneur, investor and heiress Wendy Yu in 2020, provides participating designers with business opportunities and international exposure.

Yu, the founder of venture capital firm Yu Holdings, co-hosted a glamorous cocktail reception at the Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris hotel on September 25.

Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) executive president Pascal Morand, industry veteran Julie Gilhart, Diesel founder and OTB Group president Renzo Rosso, beauty founder Pritika Swarup, and Chinese singer Yu Yan joined some of China’s most promising designers for the event.

Guests get up close and personal with Chinese designers’ work at the Yu Prize cocktail reception. Photo: Yu Holdings

In the opening speeches, Morand noted the room’s “warm atmosphere” and offered his congratulations to the inaugural outing.

Chinese fashion designers’ next big step? Paris, experts say, as Fashion Week event highlights rising names and their potential industry moves

Paris Fashion Week kicked off with the glamorous Yu Prize event highlighting rising Chinese designers in the industry More Chinese designers than ever are turning their eyes towards making it big in the world’s fashion capital, which is seen as ‘the next big step or milestone’

Paris Fashion Week kicked off with the glamorous Yu Prize event highlighting rising Chinese designers in the industry

More Chinese designers than ever are turning their eyes towards making it big in the world’s fashion capital, which is seen as ‘the next big step or milestone’