PARIS — Hennes & Mauritz AB has named Chinese designer Ximon Lee the winner of its international H&M Design Award.
The 24-year-old, who is based in New York City and graduated from Parsons The New School for Design last year, unveiled his collection Tuesday at Stockholm’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
He is the first men’s wear designer to win the award, which comes with 50,000 euros, or $56,000 at current exchange, mentorship and a collaboration with the fast-fashion giant.
“Ximon’s collection captivated the jury with its contemporary yet poetic mood, with a strong feeling for fabric and an incredible attention to detail,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s head of design for new development.
Related Articles
“It’s a very big surprise for me,” said Lee, who has already spent time working at 3.1 Phillip Lim and Calvin Klein.
You May Also Like
“Men’s is such a niche market. But I think men’s wear is really changing nowadays. Men’s and women’s are really starting to mix. It’s not the idea of unisex, but people are really willing to try different looks.”
While his designs are conceived for men, he believes they will also appeal to and be worn by women.
Lee took his inspiration for the collection from the documentary “The Children of Leningradsky,” about a community of homeless children living in a Moscow railway station in the post-Soviet era, and a subsequent trip to Russia.
He said it reminded him of his own childhood in China’s far North, close to the border with Russia.
“The surrounding and the setting reminds me of where I was born, and some of the very vivid memories from early childhood, the gray Soviet architecture of my hometown and the cold,” he said.
The 22-look collection spans layering and bonded denim, also incorporating trash bags transformed into a texturized vinyl, he said.
In the future, Lee hopes the award will help him launch his own label. “I want to create my own contemporary brand. Men’s wear is getting quite boring, and it is time to put some focus on American men’s wear based in New York.”