Eugene Kangawa / Eugene Studio served as a jury member for FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM 2025, as featured in FASHIONSNAP.

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Article title: Yuima Nakazato, Hirofumi Kurino, and others serve as judges as the Grand Prix winner of “FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM 2025” is announced

Written by: FASHIONSNAP Editorial Team

“The final judging and award ceremony for the Fashion Frontier Program (FFP)—a program dedicated to nurturing and supporting fashion designers capable of embodying both social responsibility and creativity in their work—was held on December 13 at TOKYO NODE HALL in Toranomon Hills, Tokyo.
Marking the program’s fifth anniversary, the 2025 edition selected its Grand Prix winner from eight finalists. Hikari Hayashi, a graduate of coconogacco, received the Grand Prix, while Nao Taki and Emily Misaki Hon were awarded the Runner-up Grand Prix.

The program is operated in collaboration with Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, with partner companies including Seiko Epson, Goldwin, Daimaru Matsuzakaya, and YKK.
In addition to designer Yuma Nakazato, this year’s jury included contemporary artist Eugene Kangawa, Hirofumi Kurino (Senior Advisor, United Arrows), Koichi Goka (Head of Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies), Sara Sozzani Maino (Creative Director, Fondazione Sozzani), Nadine Rininger (Artistic Director, Scapino Ballet Rotterdam), Hiroaki Miyata (Professor, Keio University School of Medicine), and fashion journalist Mitsuko Watanabe.
Together, jurors from a wide range of disciplines discussed and evaluated the future of fashion from multiple perspectives. (Goka was absent due to scheduling conflicts.)

Addressing the theme of sustainability, Eugene Kangawa emphasized the importance of creators being able to sustain their own practice over time:
‘It is valuable to seek continuity in one’s themes and subjects, but one of the greatest responsibilities is whether the creator themselves can continue engaging with that theme over five or ten years. This year’s finalists demonstrated a high level of quality not only in technique, but also in their approach to the foundations preceding production.’

Founded in 2021 by designer Yuma Nakazato and the general incorporated association unisteps, FFP consists of five core elements—Award, Incubation, Scouting, Matching, and Lab.
Finalists are provided with opportunities to learn from supporters and advisors across diverse fields, as well as technical support and platforms for presenting their work.”

Read the full article on FASHIONSNAP

FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM 2025
Date: Friday, December 13, 2025
Venue: TOKYO NODE HALL (Toranomon Hills, Tokyo)
Organizer: FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM / unisteps