Drawing inspiration from nights in Shanghai, a designer from Thailand has emerged victorious at a heavy-weight design contest in China's fashion capital.

Chinese designers went away empty-handed from the women's wear final of this year's "Zhonghua Cup Fashion Designing Contest" on Wednesday night.

The trendy styles of the Thai designer's "Shanghai Nights" won high praise from judges for their interpretation of Shanghai's colorful nightlife. Romanian and Japan designers took the second and third prizes.

A total of 29 designers from eleven countries battled it out in the women's wear competition.

In three previous finals, a South Korean designer took the gold in the men's fashion section with "Shanghai has Two Faces". Two Chinese designers took the top prizes in the kid's and beach wear competitions with "Shanghai My Home" and "Dynamic Coast".

The theme of next year's "Zhonghua Cup" will be "What a Wonderful World".

(CCTV.com March 26, 2004)