Harper's BAZAAR NewGen Award 2023: Meet The 6 Finalists

After a rigorous selection process, where each of the 12 semi-finalists presented their final year project to our panel of judges — Harper's BAZAAR Singapore Editor-in-Chief Kenneth Goh, Creative Director Windy Aulia and Singaporean couturier Lai Chan — it has come down to the final six, who are now in the running for the Harper’s BAZAAR NewGen Award 2023.

Hailing from LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), and Raffles College of Higher Education, the finalists impressed with their creativity and originality of their designs, as well as the viability of their entrepreneurial vision and business plans. Following one-on-one sessions with the judges based on their final year projects, they were tasked to create additional pieces for their runway collections, taking into account the invaluable feedback received.

Related article: Harper’s BAZAAR NewGen Award 2023: Meet The 12 Semi-Finalists

Ahead, the creative minds share what inspired their new creations, the challenges they need to overcome, and what winning NewGen will mean to them as they enter the final stage of the competition.

Alison Oh, LASALLE College of the Arts

Collection: Have You Eaten Yet?

What is one thing the judges said that stood out to you the most?

Design what you want to wear.

What inspired the additional pieces you created for the NewGen competition?

I expanded my collection by introducing new fabrics, such as denim and jersey. I have also designed new pieces that will appeal to the younger generation, such as hot pants.

How do you feel as we approach the day of the runway event? 

I'm very excited, I want to see my ideas from my sketches, all the way to seeing the models wearing them... it's going to be great.

What would winning this competition mean to you?

Winning this competition would make me feel validated in this industry.

Feliony Faustine, Raffles College of Higher Education

Collection: Style Unbound

What inspired the additional pieces you created for the NewGen competition?

The additional pieces are inspired by the new research that I made into the streetwear market that incorporate sustainability, and consist of thrifted materials that I upcycled.

How do you feel about the work you’ve done thus far?

I believe that I have done quite well thus far, but I do know that there is always room for improvement. I would like to try mixing and matching different kinds of fabrics in one item, like I did with the additional pieces for the collection.

How do you feel as we approach the day of the runway event? 

I’m very excited to see all the hard work that I’ve done for about a year come alive on the runway. It will be a lifelong memory for me.

What would winning this competition mean to you?

If I win, I would be one step closer to achieving my dream in fashion.

Related article: Judges Kenneth Goh, Lai Chan And Windy Aulia Look Back On A Decade Of NewGen

Leong Jia Yin, LASALLE College of the Arts

Collection: In Our Possession

What inspired the additional pieces you created for the NewGen competition?

The pieces that I specially created for this competition are an extension of my original designs, featuring the motifs from my embroidery.

How do you feel as we approach the day of the runway event? 

I feel nervous and excited, because I finally get to show my full collection, which includes three new looks.

What would winning this competition mean to you?

Winning this competition would mean that I’ll be able to do what I love full-time.

Having met the other finalists, who do you think is your biggest competitors?

I think my biggest competitors are my classmates, Su Hui and Alison, because they are very strong in what they do, which is creative cutting and draping.

Lim Su Hui, LASALLE College of the Arts

Collection: Homeland

How did you feel after hearing the judges' thoughts and feedback on your collection?

The judges gave me advice on using weaving to bring out some textural elements in my collection, which I thought was pretty insightful. Having this textural element that ties in with the existing braiding details will bring out more depth in my collection.

What do you have left to do and how do you plan on getting them done?

I’m working on refining my collection to be more cohesive for the runway show.

Having met the other finalists, who do you think is your biggest competitor?

I think Jia Yin's collection is really beautiful and it also touches on the same theme, which is nature in Singapore. She is also really strong, technique-wise.

What would winning this competition mean to you?

Winning this competition would mean that I am one step closer to my goal of running my own fashion business.

Related article: Relive The Magic Of Harper’s BAZAAR Asia NewGen Fashion Award’s Star-Studded Show

Verina Lie, Raffles College of Higher Education

Collection: Alternate

What is one thing the judges said that stood out to you the most?

The judges said that my new looks need to be more dramatic and avant garde, as my previous designs were more focused on basics. That's quite challenging for me, but I will try my best to show them that I can do it.

What inspired the additional pieces you created for the NewGen competition?

I was inspired by modernity and, at the same time, timelessness; and I did that by mixing and matching my fabrics throughout the process.

How do you feel as we approach the day of the runway event? 

I’m feeling both nervous and excited. Nervous because it is my first runway show but I’m very excited because I get a chance to walk down the runway.

What would winning this competition mean to you?

Winning this competition means everything to me because [it would mean that] all the hard work, all the time I spent, all the sleepless nights, everything [would be] really worth it.

To Guan Yu, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

Collection: Second Skin

How did you feel after hearing the judges' thoughts and feedback on your collection?

I have mixed feelings – I feel excited, I feel more enthusiastic; but at the same time I'm afraid that I cannot churn out the items fast enough as time is not on my side. I need to work on 5 new designs, source for new fabrics and take a new approach to my designs.

What is one thing the judges said that stayed with you the most?

Lai Chan said to try and take a new approach to the fabric, such as using canvas ... I think that would be very interesting.

Having met the other finalists, who do you think is your biggest competitor?

I just met them and haven't seen their collections, but Su Hui seems very diligent.

What will be your biggest challenge in this competition?

Time!