The world’s top fashion newcomer competition, the LVMH Prize for Young Designers, will crown its ultimate winner.
But before that, one Chinese name had already made an impression on all the judges: Zane Li.
This year’s competition saw a record-breaking 2,400 applicants. Only nine made it to the finals, and Zane Li was one of them.
After Zhou Rui and Wang Yuhan, Zane Li is another Chinese designer to make it to the LVMH finals. The news sent the domestic fashion circle into a frenzy.
But many people will ask: Who is Zane Li? And why him?
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From Chongqing to New York, he took an “atypical” path
Li Zan is from Chongqing and graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). This path sounds very “standard” – go abroad, study design, intern at a big brand. He interned at Proenza Schouler and founded his own brand LII after graduation.
But what really made him stand out within two years was not his resume, but his tailoring.
His designs rely not on embroidery, buttons, or other instantly recognizable “Chinese elements.” Instead, he plays with proportion, structure, and fabric. A garment may look sharp from afar, but up close, it’s full of details. He hides the “restraint” of Eastern aesthetics in the crisp shoulder lines and flowing hem.
What the judges saw was not a “Chinese designer replicating the West,” but a young man “telling an Eastern story in a global language.
How prestigious is the LVMH Prize?
Everyone in the fashion industry knows that winning this award is equivalent to having a career breakthrough.
The prize includes a 400,000 euro (approximately 3.2 million yuan) grant and one year of mentorship within the LVMH group.
. Past winners such as Marine Serre, Doublet, and Nensi Dojaka are now regulars at international fashion weeks.
More importantly, brands under LVMH will take notice of you. Being shortlisted means signing a contract, and winning means taking off, and this is not an exaggeration.
What does this mean for Chinese design?
To be honest, we used to say “Chinese designers going abroad”, but many times it was “going in and not coming out”. After the show, there were few orders, and the media would just take a look and leave.
But these two years are different.
From Zhou Rui, Wang Yuhan to Li Zan, the new generation of Chinese designers no longer deliberately “orientalize”. They learn the world’s top craftsmanship, cutting, and fabrics, and then use these skills to express themselves – coincidentally, they come from China.
This kind of “de-labeled” confidence is the true cultural export. I don’t need you to immediately recognize that I am Chinese, but from my works, you will feel a sense of balance, restraint, and precision that belongs to the East.
What can ordinary people learn?
Don’t think that the Fashion Awards are far away from you. Li Zan’s story tells us three things:
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Basic skills are an unavoidable path. He studied solidly at FIT for four years, not relying on “inspiration” to make a living.
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Don’t rush to label. Many young designers come out and say “I want to do Chinese style,” only to end up with something that doesn’t fit in. First, practice your craft well, and your style will naturally come.
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To stand on a bigger stage, you need to become an “irreplaceable person” first. Out of 2400 candidates, how can you be selected? Because you can do what others can’t.
September 4th, Paris. Whether Li Zan wins the award or not, he has already made a mark for Chinese design.
Not by relying on dragons, phoenixes, or red lanterns, but by a well-cut jacket and a perfectly proportioned pair of pants.
This is the confidence of the new generation of Chinese designers.
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