On Friday, May 4^th, China Institute and the Yue-Sai Kan China Beauty Charity Fund will co-present the third annual China Fashion Gala at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The China Fashion Gala is a platform to promote and support emerging Chinese talent on the international stage and to recognize individuals whose outstanding contributions have helped position Chinese design and aesthetics at the forefront of fashion on a global scale. This year’s Gala will honor: iconic designer Christian Louboutin; Alessandro Bastagli and Massimiliano Giornetti, Executive Chairman and Creative Director of Shanghai Tang, respectively; Tiffany & Co.; and Maggie Q, one of the first Asian actresses to lead an American television network series.

The 2018 Gala will be hosted by Yue-Sai Kan, President of China Beauty Charity Fund, and James Heimowitz, President of China Institute. Abigail Posner, Head of Strategy at Google’s Brand Unit, will be the Master of Ceremonies. Proceeds will support the Yue-Sai Kan China Beauty Charity Fund Scholarship at the Fashion Institute of Technology, as well as China Institute’s new Fashion Initiative and Fashion Design Competition Award. The evening will also feature a cocktail reception, dinner, awards ceremony, auction, and presentation by contemporary Chinese photographer, Sun Jun. Sun, whose elegant fashion photographs marry rich imperial and historical imagery with modern design, has been praised as China’s “poet-photographer.”

The highlight of the evening will be a full-length couture fashion show by designer Grace Chen, who has helped to establish the iconic image of modern Chinese women worldwide. Chen graduated in 1996 from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she was the first alumnus for mainland China. Chen spent 15 years working with leading fashion brands in New York and Los Angeles before returning to China to set up her label in 2009. The China Fashion Gala marks an important milestone, as the international recognition of Grace Chen comes full circle.

The evening will also feature a special dance performance by Miss Universe China 2011, Roseline Luo; Miss Universe China 2012, Diana Xu; Miss Universe China 2013, Jin Ye; Miss Universe China 2014, Karen Hu; Miss Universe China 2015, Jessica Xue; and Miss Universe China 2016, Joyce Li.

“We are thrilled to co-present the China Fashion Gala again this year, and to support our newly established China Fashion Initiative,” said China Institute’s SVP and Chief Development Officer Andrea Sanseverino Galan. “With the increasing and undeniable global influence of Chinese art and aesthetics, we’re delighted to shine a light on the individuals who have helped position Chinese fashion on the world stage and to provide a platform for the young talent that will continue to do so in the future.”