Olivia Cheng of Dauphinette Wins Second Annual CFDA/Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant
Olivia Cheng of Dauphinette is the winner of the second annual CFDA/Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant.
Cheng was revealed as the winner at a private event Tuesday night at Genesis House, the automotive brand’s flagship space in New York City. She receives a total grant prize of $100,000.
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The program’s mission is to amplify the work of AAPI designers, offering participants support from notable industry mentors and funding from Genesis to create a fashion collection that reflects their Asian heritage.
Cheng was up against emerging designers Bach Mai and Kozaburo Akasaka of Kozaburo, who all presented their final collections to a panel of judges.
“We’re honored to continue championing the immense talent within the AAPI community through our pioneering program with the CFDA,” said Rachel Espersen, executive director, brand experience, Genesis House & Studios, at Genesis Motor Americas. “All of our finalists have consistently demonstrated their extraordinary expertise and ingenuity over the last five months, and we look forward to watching them continue as they grow their individual businesses.”
Cheng, who was born in Canada and grew up in Illinois, is the child of two Chinese immigrants. She created a bespoke collection inspired by the small window of time that occurs between the changing seasons titled, “Clove.” Centered around preserving and reframing natural materials, the collection honors the nostalgia and significance of the gingko tree across East Asian cultures and in Cheng’s own family growing up. Each look represents a clove and incorporates natural elements, from 24-karat gold electroplated gingko leaves to lotus flowers from her mother’s garden to a jacket made from more than 10,000 sequins hand-punched from beetle wings, with urban dress codes and tones inspired by Seoul.
“I’m deeply humbled, honored and excited to be selected as this year’s Genesis House AAPI Innovation Grant recipient. Participating in this program has not only been instrumental in my journey as a designer and business owner, but it has connected me to to a room full of people who I know will be lifelong friends and mentors,” said Cheng. “I’m grateful to Genesis House and the CFDA for supporting me not only as a designer, but as a champion for sustainable design and innovative creation.”
Cheng told WWD that as a founder, her focus is on creating innovative, immersive environments both on and off the runway. “Winning the grant enables me to expand my love of retail, make meaningful improvements to my West Village flagship store, and to continuously champion up cycling as a means of experiencing not just sustainable, but also luxurious, fashion.”
Cheng founded Dauphinette, a sustainably minded, made-in-New York label in 2018. The brand has grown from the original outerwear (made of recycled and byproduct fur and leather, vintage and artisanal components) to include handbags and accessories, in addition to a concise offering of ready-to-wear. Known for their repurposed textiles, the designs can be found in the company’s West Village flagship, along with the Met Costume Institute.
The inaugural winner of the innovation grant was Grace Ling, who was born in Singapore and is based in New York. She studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design and Central Saint Martins in London (having interned at The Row and Thom Browne), before launching her brand immediately after graduation in 2020.
Similar to last year, this year’s participants each received a $40,000 grant on behalf of Genesis to finance their design innovations and participated in an immersion trip to Seoul to seek cultural inspiration for their collections. The designers were also provided counsel from an advisory board of global fashion and business leaders. They included Genesis’ Espersen; Alina Cho, journalist; Eva Chen, vice president of fashion, Meta; Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, founders, Monse; Jodie Chan, vice president of global marketing and communications, Carolina Herrera; Sandra Park, vice president, merchandise manager, menswear at Saks; Stephanie Horton, senior director, global marketing, Google; Steven Kolb, chief executive officer of CFDA; Tina Leung, stylist and influencer, and Wen Zhou, cofounder, 3.1 Phillip Lim.
Cheng was awarded an additional $60,000 for the development of her collection, bringing the total grant awarded to $100,000. The final designs will remain on display at Genesis House through Feb. 16.
“We are extremely proud to congratulate Olivia Cheng of Dauphinette for becoming the second recipient of this landmark program, which celebrates, nurtures and sets up emerging AAPI designers with the necessary capital, tools, mentorships and industry experience to become viable businesses in our industry,” said the CFDA’s Kolb. “Celebrating the work of the three finalists right before New York Fashion Week sets the perfect tone for the American collections with the artistry on display at Genesis House.”
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