• Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch TongTong named recipient of the Genesis and CFDA AAPI Design and Innovation Grant at Genesis House in New York City

NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Genesis and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) today announced Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch TongTong as the winner of the third annual CFDA | Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant. The program continues its mission to elevate AAPI designers by providing financial support, mentorship, and a platform to create collections that explore cultural identity through contemporary design.

Finalists Allina Liu, Kim Shui, and Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch TongTong presented their completed collections at a private event at Genesis House in New York City on February 5, where Terrence was named the winner.

"It has been inspiring to witness the creativity and cultural perspective each designer brought to this program," said Tedros Mengiste, chief operating officer of Genesis Motor North America. "Over the past several months, the finalists transformed personal heritage into thoughtful collections, and we are proud to support their ongoing growth within the fashion industry."

Each designer received forty thousand dollars from Genesis to develop their collection, along with access to a roster of mentors and advisors across fashion, technology, and business. Over the five-month program, the designers also traveled to Seoul, Korea, for an immersive cultural experience that served as inspiration for their final collections.

CFDA | Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant winner, Terrence Zhou, presented a three-piece collection exploring innovation as a state of incubation, where heritage and modernity coexist. Inspired by the Chinese creation myth of Pan Gu, each look positions the cosmic egg as both protective shell and threshold between worlds. Translucent sculptural forms house garments with deliberately softened, partially concealed details. Referencing the Korean moon jar, a monumental lily, and an aerodynamic automotive prototype, the collection traces a progression from origin to transformation to forward motion, proposing innovation as refinement rather than rupture.

"I'm deeply honored to be selected as a CFDA | Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant recipient," said Terrence Zhou. "This program affirms my belief that innovation is not about replacing heritage, but allowing it to evolve, holding tradition in a state of becoming while imagining new futures through design."

Guests at Genesis House viewed the completed collections and heard from the finalists about the creative concepts and cultural narratives behind their designs. Terrence received an additional sixty thousand dollars to further develop his business, bringing the total grant funding to one hundred thousand dollars. The collections will remain on display at Genesis House through February 22^nd.

"We are proud to celebrate Terrence, Allina, and Kim who each brought forward strong creative identities and thoughtful perspectives that define the purpose of this grant. Their work sets an inspiring tone ahead of New York Fashion Week," said Steven Kolb, CEO and President of the CFDA.

Genesis House is a sophisticated oasis located in the heart of New York City's Meatpacking District, offering experiences influenced by Korean culture and community, culinary excellence, and innovative architecture and technology. Consisting of the Showroom, Restaurant, and Cellar Stage, the lifestyle space evokes audacious design, progressive function and a distinctly Korean atmosphere that showcases the Genesis brand in harmony and balance with its surroundings.

Genesis Motor North America
Genesis is a new global automotive brand that delivers the highest standards of design, safety, refined performance, and innovation while looking towards a more sustainable future. Drawing from its cultural heritage and distinctly Korean hospitality, Genesis crafts experiences focused on customers as "son-nim", or honored guests.

Genesis Motor North America offers a growing range of award-winning SUV, sedan, and electric models through its network of more than 200 independent U.S. retailers, in addition to its more than 30 Canadian agency distributors. Genesis now counts more than 90 standalone retail facilities across the North American region, with dozens more in development. Consumers can discover the brand through its many retail points, at Genesis House, the brand's flagship space in New York City, or online at www.genesis.com.

Please visit our media site for the latest news at www.genesisnewsusa.com (United States) and www.genesisnews.ca (Canada).

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SOURCE Genesis Motor America