Zane Li of LII Wins 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund
The Chinese designer’s award quickly follows his other 2026 accolades, including the Karl Lagerfeld Prize at the LVMH Prize and the Fashion Trust US Ready-to-Wear Award.
Summary
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Chongqing-born FIT graduate Zane Li won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, earning $300,000 and mentorship for his label LII.
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Runners-up Aisling Camps and Emily Dawn Long each received $100,000.
Chinese designer Zane Li of LII has been announced as the official winner of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, with Aisling Camps and Emily Dawn Long as runners-up.
Since stepping onto the NYC scene in 2024, the Chongqing-born designer and 2023 FIT graduate has quickly become renowned for his clean blend of sport styles with unconventional silhouettes and bold color. While maintaining a minimal ethos, the designer’s collections have spoken volumes in their stark color blocking and experimental cuts, garnering attention from industry leaders. The designer has already won the Karl Lagerfeld Prize at the LVMH Prize and the Fashion Trust US Ready-to-Wear Award this year.
As the winner of the main prize, Li’s label will receive $300,000 USD, while runners-up Camps and Longs will receive a $100,000 USD grant. Furthermore, the fund’s monetary prizes are complemented with guided mentorship for the awardees. Other finalists from this year’s program included Amir Taghi, Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch Tongtong, Jamie Haller, Julia Ferentinos of Juju Vera, George Inaki of Milamore, Claire Sullivan of Miss Claire Sullivan, and Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen. In previous years, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has honored notable designers Melitta Baumeister (2023), Christopher John Rogers (2019), and Telfar (2017). The initiative began in 2003 as a post-9/11 effort to support America’s emerging designers.
In conjunction with his other accolades from this year, Zane Li’s win at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund cements him as one of New York’s most talked-about designers of the moment.
