Beneath the century-old red-brick arched windows of the former Gibb, Livingston & Co building at 100 Dianchi Road, the warm, mellow aroma of Fujian tea lingers in the air.

A century ago, this building was a key departure point for Chinese tea exports to the United Kingdom.

This March, designer Wang Fengchen transformed the building into Fengji Old Teahouse, a limited-time installation that bridges past and present. Inside, curated Fujian tea leaves from 2015 — the founding year of her eponymous label Feng Chen Wang — are displayed alongside the brand's landmark designs from the past decade.

For Wang, 2026 marks a pivotal moment. Ten years after establishing her brand in London, she returns with a clearer sense of direction and identity. As the first Chinese graduate to earn a master's degree in menswear from the Royal College of Art, she built her reputation through a distinctive deconstructed aesthetic that draws on Eastern cultural references while engaging global audiences. Her collections have appeared on the runways of Paris and New York, and her brand became the first Chinese designer label to enter the core retail zone of Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

For her brand's 10th anniversary, she chose to stage this landmark showcase in Shanghai with its first independent runway show in China.

"In the past, tea served as a cultural language connecting the world. Today, our design speaks as a language from the East to the world," Wang explains. "I set out from here a decade ago, and now I'm back. Shanghai is the root of my brand."

Her installation, which draws on the building's history of Sino-Western trade, is one of six curated creative spaces presented in the final stage of the inaugural New Wave Fashion Awards. Organized by the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association, the competition seeks to "identify creative directors for a new era".

Breaking from the traditional ready-to-wear-only judging model, it challenges six finalists to build full brand narrative spaces in Shanghai's key landmarks, testing their ability to turn design concepts into tangible experiences. Designers are required to coordinate resources, manage budgets and oversee every stage of execution, simulating the real-world responsibilities of a creative director.

As juror Cui Dan explains, the role today extends beyond design itself. "A creative director of the new era must not only convey a brand's worldview but also evoke public empathy through meticulous details."

If Wang's space is a narrative of heritage, brand motoguo's We Eat Fear for Breakfast! display at the Somekh Building is an emotional adventure — and among Angelo Flaccavento's top picks. Flaccavento, a renowned international fashion critic, traveled especially from Milan to serve as a core juror for the competition.

Centered on the metaphor of "devouring fear", the space by designers Keek Wen Han and Eng Khai Wai mixes surreal, playful installations to build a bold brand universe. It transforms anxiety into courage and delivers emotional healing, while showcasing the brand's iconic, unisex designs and 10-year creative ethos.

Founded in 2015, motoguo has gained international recognition as the first Southeast Asian brand shortlisted for the LVMH Prize. Known for its whimsical, gender-neutral designs, the brand has appeared on international runways and chosen Shanghai as its core development base. Over the past decade, the duo has navigated industry challenges and downturns, ultimately cultivating a loyal community in Shanghai.

"Shanghai is a place where people can pursue their dreams, and it has given us so much support," Keek says.

"A creative director must have a comprehensive brand worldview, and we hope to deliver emotional value and healing to people," Eng says. The duo received the Future Force Award, recognizing both their creative direction and sustained development.

Other finalists present equally distinct narratives through their installations. Gong Li's project for 8ON8 continues his long-standing exploration of "comfortable avant-garde", balancing experimentation with wearability. Angus Chiang marks the 10th anniversary of his brand with PARC, a playful, park-like environment featuring interactive elements and signature works.

Li Wen, who transitioned from architecture to fashion, brings a spatial perspective to her installation Where Shadows Rest for MAYALI. Her work treats clothing as "architecture for the human body".

Among the finalists, Chen Sifan stands out as the youngest participant. His Keting-LivingRoom space at Film Park on Jiashan Road brings design into a familiar, domestic setting, making it more accessible to a broader audience. His project earned the Public Impact Award. "Thank you to the competition for giving creators like us, without funding or a platform, a chance to speak out," he says.

"It's a very interesting competition," says Flaccavento. Over five days, he visited all six installations, experiencing the works within their intended contexts rather than through the conventional runway format.

"What I liked about this award is that we were not shown just clothes, but clothes in an environment that was built to express the vision of the designers." In his view, the competition's greatest vision is its accurate understanding of the core role of a modern creative director. "They're acknowledging the role of the creative director in contemporary fashion, and sourcing from local designers. It's a visionary idea."

Flaccavento also highlights the strength of Chinese designers in building communities: "The clientele is someone who shares your values and vision, and then buys your clothes — it's more organic." He adds that this value-driven, organic bond is the enduring lifeblood of the fashion industry.

"Fashion is a global language. Chinese fashion is part of a broader movement, reflecting local culture while contributing to global dialogue," Flaccavento points out. "While not all Chinese designers achieve international competitiveness, those who do are sophisticated, refined, and their way of working with local crafts and culture can be showcased in Paris."

The broader industry context reinforces this momentum. Since its establishment in 2003, Shanghai Fashion Week has supported nearly 1,000 independent Chinese designers. In the 2026 autumn/winter season, it showcased around 1,000 brands and hosted 92 debut shows, achieving an 18.7 percent increase in business transactions and record-high orders for designer labels. These figures point to both growth and increasing influence.

This competition is just the beginning, says Lyu Xiaolei, secretary-general of Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee. She adds that the SFDA will keep launching systematic talent support, including a new designer competition with the social media platform Douyin, to offer full-chain help for Chinese creative talents.

"The new wave of Chinese design is just setting sail," Lyu says.