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It’s been a challenging year for fashion and luxury in China, but that didn’t stop designers from turning out in force at Shanghai Fashion Week’s (SHFW) Spring/Summer 2025 edition on 9-19 October. Chinese supermodel Lu Yan’s opening show for her brand Comme Moi served, in part, as a message to the industry: during challenging times, brands must adopt a long-term perspective.
While the industry has reached a consensus on tightening marketing budgets for shows, this season’s fashion week schedule still presented numerous noteworthy moments: innovative designers are emerging, established brands are introducing new perspectives after a period of maturation, and SHFW’s role as a conduit between China and the global fashion scene is increasingly significant.
Here are four takeaways from the SS25 edition.
Exploring Chinese culture with a focus on self-expression
The ‘new Chinese style’ trend of exploring and revitalising traditional culture remained the primary focus of this season’s fashion week. From the lotus leaf textured shirt designed by Damowang, to the beaded printed silk T-shirt from Goldlion 3388’s ‘Summer Series’ and the mountain art elements drawn from Chinese paintings and poems by Heilan Home, traditional Chinese culture and craftsmanship continue to serve as a rich source of inspiration for local brands.
Angel Chen, who returned to the SHFW schedule after a long hiatus, drew inspiration from a journey she took with her team across China, immersing themselves in the lives and practices of clothing makers from various regions. Her show included ethnic handicrafts, including split weaving and intangible cultural heritage weaving, blended with modern materials.
This season’s Labelhood Pioneer Fashion Art Festival showcased the talents of 16 innovative designers who highlight the strength of Chinese design, drawing its theme from a book about traditional Chinese medicine called ‘Huangdi Neijing’. Newcomers to its lineup included Reshui Yeren, Joyce Bao, Hengdi Wang, and Ili Node.
Labelhood founder Tasha Liu highlighted Reshui Yeren founder Cheng Aiguo. After working as a designer for the JNBY brand, Aiguo decided to return to the rural areas of Ningbo to establish his own brand. He gathered materials from nearby markets and collaborated with his family and villagers to finish the clothing production. The Reshui brand store on Taobao has built up 122,000 fans without relying on discounts or marketing activities, presenting a novel approach for brands navigating the competitive landscape of the Chinese fashion industry.
A two-way exchange between East and West
This season, the finale of SHFW was presented by the British brand Vivienne Westwood, whose eponymous founder died in late 2022. Creative director Andreas Kronthaler noted the importance of Shanghai to the brand, recalling accompanying Westwood on a visit to Shanghai 13 years ago, also to show the brand on schedule. The team is set to return next spring to organise a local exhibition.
Another eagerly awaited international event is the Moncler Genius ‘City of Genius’ event on Saturday. Since its inception in 2018, the Genius project has partnered with designers and creative teams worldwide, merging classic elements of the Moncler brand to consistently introduce various collaborative series. In Shanghai, the City of Genius took place over an impressive 30,000 square meters. Renowned designers Fujiwara Hiroshi and Nigo were present, along with artists from both China and abroad, including A$AP Rocky, Donald Glover, and Leah Dou. The event also welcomed notable personalities from the fashion industry, including Edward Enninful, Rick Owens and the creative director duo of Lucie and Luke from Jil Sander.
An official from SHFW told us that the role of fashion week as a “bridge” connecting China with the international fashion industry is becoming more pronounced. Despite pandemic challenges, SHFW still plays a crucial role in promoting Chinese design and bringing international creative talents into the spotlight.
A new face to note
Yayi, established in New York in 2022, is among the “new faces” that emerged through the Visa Creator Program this season (the brand is also a semi-finalist for the 2024 LVMH Prize). The SS25 collection delves into the traditional handicrafts and craftsmanship passed down through Eastern and Western cultures. Designer Ya Yi shared that he relocated his studio to Shanghai in the second year after its establishment. The brand’s core team presently consists of 10 individuals, and its offline sales channels include Shanghai’s Reel Department Store Assemble by Reel and Leihu Labelhood, Hangzhou Lowlight, Wenzhou Hanplus, Vietnam’s Runway, among other stores.
Ya Yi acknowledged that the brand has encountered a more challenging environment since its inception, which has also raised the bar for the operational capabilities of emerging brands across various levels.
“We place a strong focus not only on the brand narrative but also on the creation of fabrics, yarns, accessories, and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship,” he says. “Our designs incorporate raw materials sourced from the US, Italy and Japan, alongside the expertise of craftsmen from diverse nations, culminating in production in China. This diversified supply chain system, which is continuously being enhanced and broadened, represents a key element of the brand’s identity and strengths.”
Market vitality has not yet recovered
The consensus from most attendees was that, influenced by the wider economic environment, the domestic fashion market is lacking in vitality.
This season, the scale of trade show Showroom has reverted to the levels seen in 2017 and 2018. “The primary issue is that the influx of new customers to the venue has declined compared to previous times,” says founder Lin Jian. Showroom attracted nearly 4,000 visitors over a span of four days, with the majority of the traffic occurring during the first two days of its opening.
Jian observes that the role of the fair is changing: many fashion bloggers on Xiaohongshu create content from Showroom, while exhibiting brands increasingly want to use it as a platform for publicity and promotion, not — or not just — for signing orders.
Other showrooms sought to draw in visitors this season by rethinking their design or showcasing exciting new talent. Ontimeshow established a new exhibition hall called Dot Showroom, which featured various categories, including leather goods, shoes, and accessories, featuring the lifestyle brand Tagi, which has launched stores nationwide. Ontimeshow featured its ‘Young talents’ initiative, aimed at supporting emerging designer brands; new Chinese designer brand Junyang, selected for the programme in 2022, unveiled its first full-scale booth.
Guliangjiji, a leather goods brand based in Hangzhou, made its seventh appearance at Ontimeshow. The brand began online before transitioning to bricks-and-mortar retail. Guliangjiji will prioritise the expansion of offline stores over the next year to drive growth. “In the first half of 2024, our GMV experienced a year-on-year increase; however, the refund rate rose further, resulting in a decrease in the proportion of repayments,” says a brand representative, who states the main objective is to uphold the profit margin.
Showroom’s Jian believes that effective cost control is crucial in a challenging market environment. “Established retailers are adopting a more cautious approach, and new brands are finding it increasingly challenging to penetrate the market. Consequently, while managing cost savings, expanding diversified operations and enhancing cash flow, building a brand requires both time and financial investment.”
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