Winner Spotlight｜Designing Disappearing Space — Su, An-Li’s Vision of Form, Function, and Sustainability

At the Spring Season of the Future Art & Design Award UK 2025, fashion designer Su, An-Li was honored with the Platinum Prize for her groundbreaking sustainable fashion project, Disappearing Space. Distinguished by its sophisticated integration of zero-waste patternmaking, modular systems, and origami-inspired construction, the work captivated the judges for its conceptual depth, structural innovation, and strong commitment to environmental responsibility.

With more than 15 years of professional experience in the fashion industry, Su has gradually shifted her focus toward sustainability-driven design. Her practice balances traditional craftsmanship with future-oriented construction methods, allowing her work to explore not only how garments are made, but also how they communicate, transform, and hold emotional meaning in daily life.

"Disappearing Space" by Su, An-Li

"Disappearing Space" by Su, An-Li

Su describes her creative foundation as a blend of Eastern and Western thinking: the philosophical discipline of Eastern folding techniques intertwined with the systematic logic of Western modular design. This bicultural dialogue shapes her approach to zero-waste garments—pieces that are not just functional clothing, but storytelling structures. Trained in fashion design at Shih Chien University in Taiwan, she has continued to build an academic and professional presence, becoming a 2024 finalist in the Redress Design Award, one of the world’s most respected sustainable fashion competitions.

Her passion for fashion began in childhood. Clothing fascinated her as a silent but expressive language—one capable of revealing personality, mood, and inner stories without ever speaking aloud. What began as a childhood dream gradually evolved into a deeper purpose. Through years of working in design, production, and retail, she witnessed firsthand the environmental damage created at each stage of the fashion industry. These experiences strengthened her belief that good design must be intelligent, emotional, and responsible, guiding her toward a career dedicated to more sustainable futures.

The creative process behind Disappearing Space grew from Su’s habit of observing the smallest details of movement—how fabric bends, how the body interacts with structure, and how garments behave in motion. These observations are translated into form through origami-inspired folding and modular patternmaking, where geometry, flexibility, and material efficiency coexist. Creating visually compelling structures that also carry emotional resonance is what continually fuels her inspiration.

The most demanding challenge of the award-winning project became its greatest triumph: developing a zero-waste pattern that preserved the original garment’s integrity while introducing entirely new forms through folding. Each geometric fold needed to perform both visually and functionally, requiring Su to rethink conventional layout, silhouette, and patterning. Transforming these folded components into a fresh modular shape demanded patience, experimentation, and conceptual clarity. Ultimately, it resulted in a piece that harmonizes engineering and elegance—an achievement Su finds particularly meaningful.

Su describes her experience with the Future Art & Design Awards as deeply motivating. The critiques and recognition from the international panel gave her renewed clarity of direction and reinforced her commitment to pursuing responsible, innovative design. She views the award not only as validation, but as encouragement to continue questioning, shaping, and redefining her design philosophy.

Looking ahead, Su believes that the next decade of art and design will be shaped by the convergence of AI-assisted systems, deeper sustainability, and emotionally intelligent design. Designers, she predicts, will increasingly create not just objects or garments, but adaptive and socially responsive systems—works that reflect both technological progress and human-centered values.

Through Disappearing Space, Su, An-Li demonstrates how structure, sustainability, and storytelling can merge to form something entirely new. Her work reminds us that garments are more than functional products—they are emotional architecture, cultural expression, and, in her vision, part of a more responsible future for fashion.

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