Inside The Star-Studded Harper’s BAZAAR NewGen Award 2023 Show

Congratulations to our 2023 winner Lim Su Hui and all the finalists!

By Shermin Ng - published 16 Nov 2023

It’s official: Lim Su Hui from LASALLE College of the Arts is the winner of this year’s Harper’s BAZAAR NewGen Award! Held at entertainment agency NoonTalk Media, the eventful evening saw a star-studded front row and a wave of excitement as the six finalists—Alison Oh, Feliony Faustine, Leong Jia Yin, Lim Su Hui, Verina Lie and To Guan Yu—presented their collections on the runway.

Lim took home a $10,000 cash prize, along with a sponsorship for a 15-month master degree course at the London campus of Istituto Marangoni worth over $55,000. She also gets to showcase her collection in a Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore fashion spread that will be retailed at Design Orchard early next year.

Now in its 10th year, the Award was started as an initiative to spotlight and uplift the best of new design talent in the region. A Singapore-only affair like the last two years, the runway event was graced by industry leaders, friends of BAZAAR and members of the BAZAAR Academy—an initiative linking educational institutions in this country with the world’s most esteemed fashion companies to provide local students an inside look into exclusive events, exhibitions, talks, parties and internship opportunities.

Esteemed guests including Malaysian cosplayer Hakken, entrepreneur and actor Heart Evangelista, fashion designer Andrew Gn, and digital content creator Irene Kim, all arrived in style. They were joined by Singapore celebrities including Fiona Xie, Chantalle Ng, Eleanor Lee, Chen Yixin, Keyana, and Glenn Yong; as well as TikTok stars David Eung Hao, David Matthew Ubaña and Raynold Tan.

(left to right) Hakken, Glenn Yong, Chantalle Ng and Chen Yixin. Photo: Chin Fan

Emcee Hanli Hoefer, who wore a crystal-embellished kaftan by Andrew Gn, gave all in attendance a warm welcome before introducing the finalists and their 8-look collections. The looks were showcased on the runway alongside videos featuring the design elements of each collection, created in collaboration with MINISHI, a local 3D creative studio.

The finale show marked the end of a challenging yet rewarding journey. Each finalist underwent a rigorous selection process and a month-long advisorship programme focused on educating, inspiring and equipping them with the right skills and knowledge on the different facets of the fashion industry. They gained invaluable mentorship by industry experts at Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore and CHANEL Singapore via individual and group sessions on branding and marketing, styling and visual merchandising, social media strategy and content management, and grooming.

Ultimately, it was Lim who impressed the judges—Vanessa Lim, General Manager, Communications of CHANEL (represented by Charlotte Bonnet, Managing Director of CHANEL Singapore), Singaporean couturier Lai Chan, Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore’s Editor-in-Chief Kenneth Goh, and Creative Director Windy Aulia—with the creativity of her designs and viability of her business plans. “In pursuit of a more circular approach to sustainable fashion, Lim Su Hui went for a zero waste practice in pattern cutting. With her final collection inspired by the architecture, shape, form, history and the colours of Fort Canning, Su Hui created a romantic collection of dresses and separates that stood out for its sophisticated palette and fluid shapes. 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," said Goh.

Models walked the runway in Lim Su Hui's collection. Photo: Ashley Mak

BAZAAR's celebrity friends shared their thoughts on the show: "I love the diversity of each collection and I love how expressive all the designers were. I was inspired and satisfied, visually. I love all the looks, especially Jia Yin's—the fabric is beautiful, the way she stitched each one by hand was the cherry on top," said Evangelista. "My first thoughts have to be how empowering it is to see local artists showing their designs, and to know that Harper's BAZAAR is doing an amazing thing to give a spotlight and limelight to them. It's definitely hard to pick one, but I've got to say my favourite is Su Hui. I personally lean towards more of that style," said Chen Yixin.

As for Lim, there's much to look forward to. "It's such an honour, and I'm really thankful that I won. It's a dream come true and such a huge milestone for me. I believe this opportunity will help me navigate the fashion industry," says Lim, fresh off her win. "I look forward to embarking on my journey with Istituto Marangoni to gain further insights into the industry and become a better fashion designer."

Scroll through the gallery below for all the exclusive photos from the show.