Floral Album Ingqokelela Yefashoni by Xinyu Zheng

Floral Album Ingqokelela Yefashoni by Xinyu Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Ibhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award in Uyilo lweFashoni, Isinxibo kunye neSambatho Competition Category.

IntsimbiIfashoni· 2026

Floral Album Ingqokelela Yefashoni

by Xinyu Zheng

Client: Tulip 'n room

Ibhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award Winner in Ifashoni Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #177958

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Floral Album Ingqokelela Yefashoni

IFloral Album yingqokelela yefashoni ephefumlelwe ziifoto zosapho zeminyaka yee-1980. Le ngqokelela yenziwe ngamalaphu angasasetyenziswayo (deadstock) adityaniswe neendlela ezininzi zobugcisa bezandla. Ukuhonjiswa ngezandla (hand embroidery), ukukroshetha, ukufakwa kweentsimbi (beading), ukunitha kunye nokuthunga i-cross stitch kusetyenziswa kwivelvethi nakumalaphu abonakalisayo abekwe ngokwezaleko. Imiqukumbelo ekroshethiweyo namaqhekeza anithiweyo aquka izinto ezimenyezelayo (sequins) ezibamba ukukhanya xa umnxibi eshukuma. Isambatho ngasinye sakhiwe ngasinye, ngoko akukho siqwenga siphindaphindiweyo. Zonke iziqwenga zingumlinganiselo okhululekileyo. Le ngqokelela idibanisa umsebenzi wezandla oneenkcukacha kunye nokusetyenziswa kwakhona kwezinto ezingahoywayo.

The Recognition

About the Ibhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award

Floral Album Ingqokelela Yefashoni ngumphumeleli weIbhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award, ukuqatshelwa okuhlonitshwayo okunikwa imiyilo elungileyo eyanelisa iimfuno zobungcali neemveliso ezilindelekileyo kwimveliso ezicwangciswe kakuhle. Abaphumeleleyo beNtsimbi babonisa ubuchule obukhulu, ubuchule obuphezulu, ukuqonda kwengcali namandla okuyila abayili babo. Floral Album Ingqokelela Yefashoni iyathenjwa ukuba ibe yimveliso exatyiswa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo esebenzayo neyinto entsha. Lo myilo uphumeleleyo weIbhaso Lentsimbi le-A' Design Award udibanisa iindlela ezilungileyo kakhulu zemboleko kwaye unezimpawu zobuchwephesha ezifanelekileyo ezidityaniswe nolwazi netalente. Floral Album Ingqokelela Yefashoni iyahlonelwa ngenxa yenkcukacha yayo kwaye yacwangciselwa ukunika uphuculo lomgangatho wobomi olunceda ukwenza ihlabathi libe yindawo engcono.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This collection reinterprets craftsmanship through the integration of deadstock fabrics and multiple handcraft techniques. Each garment is individually constructed using hand embroidery, crochet, beading, and hand knitting, resulting in unique pieces with no repetition. By layering reclaimed materials with detailed surface work, the collection highlights the value of overlooked resources and connects tactile craftsmanship with contemporary design sensibility.
Dimensions & Packaging: All the pieces are free size.
Tags: tulip n room, sustainable fashion, hand embroidery, deadstock fabrics, recycled materials, haute couture
Production Technology: Each piece is developed using deadstock fabrics combined with multiple handcraft techniques. Velvet, crochet, beading, embroidery, knitting, and cross stitch are applied through experimental craftsmanship. The production process integrates hand beaded garments, crocheted trims with sequin elements, knitted pieces using sequin yarns, and layered transparent textiles. The approach balances couture level precision with sustainable material practices.
Design Challenge: The main challenge lay in balancing nostalgic aesthetics with sustainable production limits. Many desired fabrics were no longer available, requiring extensive trials with deadstock and recycled materials. Achieving hand-embroidered precision on uneven surfaces demanded technical adaptation. The process also involved redefining femininity through craft while ensuring each garment remained wearable and relevant to modern audiences.
Research: The research began as a qualitative exploration of how emotional memory can shape sustainable fashion. The objective was to reinterpret 1980s silhouettes using responsible materials and handcraft techniques. Research methods included material experimentation, archival image analysis, and wearer interviews to study emotional connection to garments. Results revealed that tactile handwork and recycled materials enhance both emotional resonance and sustainability awareness in contemporary fashion.
Inspiration: Inspired by my grandmothers photographs from the 1980s, this project examines fashion as a carrier of personal and collective memory. Visual elements from domestic environments such as lace curtains, plastic flowers, and embroidered tablecloths are abstracted and translated into textiles, surface embellishments, and silhouette structures. The collection reinterprets nostalgia through contemporary design, positioning fashion as an archive of identity, cultural inheritance, and transformation.
Project Duration: This project was initiated in April 2023 and completed in September 2024 in New York.
Operation Flow: The collection is experienced through movement and tactile interaction. As the wearer moves, layered embroidery and sequins catch light, revealing hidden patterns and shifting textures. The garments invite sensory engagement, encouraging emotional connection through touch and reflection. Each piece performs as both clothing and storytelling medium, blending comfort with expressive form.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Xinyu Zheng, 2025.
Trademark (2025) Tulip N’ Room.
Team Members: /
Image Credits: Stefy Lin, 2024.