The soft-spoken designer is famous for her sculptural, avant-garde creations that have won over the hearts of New York’s fashion enthusiasts with their authenticity – and she’s now launching her first retail store.
Gentle and thoughtful – yet by no means lacking confidence – designer Grace Ling has the maturity and experience of someone who has seen the world, despite her unassuming demeanor. At just 27, the former model has traveled a long way from her hometown of Singapore to become one of the most promising upcoming names on the New York Fashion Week calendar, with her eponymous brand of seductive yet tasteful designs evoking a bold, sassy attitude rather than a prim, sweet innocence.
Ling has created sculptural designs that have gained massive attention through social media. Her first retail store will open in the city this month.
Arriving in Hong Kong for the first time as one of Fashion Asia’s 10 Asian Designers to Watch, Ling sits down for our chat wearing an impressively fashionable outfit that captures her confident, no-nonsense approach to fashion. If the image of the girl next door as innocent and lacking drive ever existed, Ling dispels this idea by transforming her into a bold and ambitious individual who takes charge of her life, dresses to the nines in all black, and doesn’t shy away from exploring her desires.
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“I began the brand as a shield,” Ling says in describing how her cutting-edge, forward-thinking fashion empire was established. Uninhibited in her demeanor, she conveys an image of sensuality and tenacity while attired in the brand’s distinctive, sleekly cut woolen blazer, fitted tightly around her waist. I’m taken aback by the gentleness of her voice compared to when she opens up about the vulnerabilities that underlie her strength and make up the core of her brand.
Having admired Ling’s shows for many cycles, I’m familiar with the protective bubble she’s crafted around her creative vision, which seemingly envisions a world where women are the sole survivors of some unnatural catastrophic event. This approach has generated a wardrobe reimagining that reinterprets dresses as shields and suits as armor, scarred, yet reborn from the ashes.

At first, I wasn’t aware of this, but looking back, I think I’ve always created garments to empower myself and, unintentionally, other women who wear my clothes.
Certain of Ling’s most renowned designs – such as the intricately molded corsets from her haute couture collections and the impressive metal contraption of birds perched on branches that closed her New York spring/summer 2025 show, aptly named Neanderthal – convey as much about human existence as they do human physique and form, yet still leave room for interpretation, stirring our deepest desires by contrasting them with our futuristic doom.

I referred to that collection as primitive chic,” says Ling, noting her inspirations from otherworldly realms and techniques rooted in technology. “I’m a fan of dystopian films. These days, many people favor what’s considered futuristic, and it often appears homogenized – everyone seems to be doing the same thing. However, I aim to set the brand apart by combining high-fashion craftsmanship with technology. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice a rich foundation of traditional craftsmanship. Our process can take as long as six months, even though we incorporate cutting-edge 3D printing techniques; it’s not mass-produced simply because it’s technology-driven.
Throughout Ling’s collection are elements reminiscent of a science fiction world that evokes a bygone era: textured fabrics, worn by the elements, recall the desolate landscapes of an ancient ice age; metallic, 3D-printed fragments in various shapes and sizes mimic the crude tools used by our ancestors. It’s almost a cautionary tale about the consequences of technology advancing too far. And while technology remains integral to her brand, the human touch gives it a truly multi-dimensional character – especially as it intersects with the emergence of artificial intelligence in society.

Some folks don’t fully grasp the distinction,” she notes. “We apply a considerable amount of computer-generated imagery three-dimensional printing to be more environmentally friendly in the design phase – we can calculate things precisely, conduct numerous iterations before producing the final product, and inspect it at full scale before squandering resources. Nonetheless, I don’t want AI to devise concepts for me. I prefer AI to manage my administrative tasks, respond to my emails, and do my laundry.
There’s no tried-and-true formula for achieving success or a secret recipe for creativity. The qualities that can make or break emerging designers are universally valuable: unwavering perseverance, a strong sense of individuality, and a rich imagination. Ideally, designers should also be driven by an overwhelming passion and joy for their craft. “I come from a background in fine arts and sculpture,” notes Ling, “so I approach design in a rather three-dimensional way. To be honest, when I first started with 3D printing, I was drawn to it simply because I found it fascinating. I didn’t set out with a specific aesthetic or career path in mind. Instead, I remained true to myself and focused on doing what truly made me happy, rather than trying to emulate others.”

Admittedly, Ling acknowledges that everyday challenges make meeting her goals even more challenging than it appears. Although she strives to maintain her authenticity, she acknowledges that competition from large fashion corporations can be frustrating at times. She has a complicated relationship with social media, using it but also resenting the time and mental energy it demands; this dynamic echoes her complex interactions with the industry. Seeking to handle all this with poise has been the driving force behind making her brand uniquely hers.
I’m aware that some of my work has been referenced on mood boards,” Ling states, her expression playful. “I’m not limiting my statement to smaller companies. I’m addressing major conglomerate brands. However, in the grand scheme of things, my creative vision stems from genuine roots. Attempting to replicate an aesthetic also involves embracing the authority and weight associated with those designs.

Growing up in an Asian society where creativity is often restricted and conservative has motivated Ling to express rebellion through her work. “Some part of me has always wanted to challenge those boundaries and assert my independence, to be able to do what I want and dress as I please,” she remarks about her penchant for provocative yet elegant designs. For instance, see the silver buttock-shaped handbag from her fall/winter 2024 collection, which deliberately draws attention to a typically objectified aspect of the female form. Finding support for her endeavors, however, was a vastly different challenge. “I started out with little to no connections,” she notes. “Although I attended Parsons, but you can only learn the basics, such as cutting fabrics, in school. So, I simply identified the locations where I hoped to showcase my work and subsequently made direct contact with key figures.”

Despite her remarkable story appearing impressive, coming from one of the world’s smallest countries to achieving success in the US’s fashion capital, Ling has only recently realized the impact of her success and the greater responsibilities that come with it.
“I’ve recently started to realize that what I do is significant to people back home, so last year I did a pop-up store in New York and there were Singaporeans coming up to me and saying, ‘Thanks to seeing what you’ve achieved, I feel empowered to take the leap too.’ I’m essentially giving everyone permission to follow their ambitions wherever they take them,” she says. It further proves that, even as Ling’s brand continues to rapidly grow and she expands her team to keep up, staying authentic to herself is the only way to meet the expectations that come with inspiring aspiring creatives in Singapore and worldwide.

She stresses that the same principle applies to building relationships with her business partners. “I’ve never paid a celebrity to wear my brand, ever,” says Ling, who has made it a point to assert herself in an industry that often exploits young designers. “And if anything, I try to get them to compensate me for my work. The well-known celebrities have access to numerous brands, but they still choose to wear my brand – so that’s empowering and motivating for me in that way.
What’s the next step in building a closer connection?” Ling asks. “If I were dressing J.Lo, would I want to go out of my way to create something custom for her? The partnership has become more personal and intimate, rather than a basic fan appreciation. These customers have become regulars, like family members in a community, so it’s essential to be choosy about who I work with and what I share with them. Now that I have the luxury of being selective, I only send my designs to those who truly deserve them.
She is among the finalists for the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, and this in-demand young designer expresses her excitement about the opportunities and challenges still to come, such as the possibility of moving into the home category.
Wherever her vision leads her, she has ensured that her name will be all around soon – and you will always be able to recognize a Grace Ling creation.
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This article was first published on the English-language website of the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a leading news organization specializing in China and Asian news.
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