The Spring Shanghai Fashion Week for AW2025 ended on 1 April. This year, we saw highlights such as Nike’s first closing show, Shanghai Disney Resort bringing a Toy Story 30th-anniversary show, as well as the 88th anniversary of Three Gun Clothing, a domestic brand known for its thermal underwear. Pundits also observed emerging trends from this year’s event.
Firstly, traditional and ethnic elements from the Chinese culture are, of course, key features this year. “New Chinese Style” (新中式) has already evolved to include regional crafts and intangible cultural heritage. From Shuting Qiu’s use of embroidery from Hami (Kumul in Xinjiang) and silk from Hangzhou to Garçon by Garçon taking inspiration from the Mao suit and traditional robes, inspiration has come a long way from the traditional fashion of China.
The collaboration between Chinese designers and global brands is another key trend. Nike’s “Victory Lap” show includes crossover collections with Chinese brands, including Susan Fang, Mark Gong, AO YES and WINDOWSEN. Susan Fang is also hosting an exhibition in Zhangyuan for her latest collection, supported by Dolce&Gabbana.
Other trends include more innovation around sustainability, Chinese designers expanding into homeware as well as a focus on African brands. With the recent difficulties faced by both multi-brand boutiques in China and global luxury platforms such as Net-a-Porter and Farfetch, Chinese designers and Shanghai Fashion Week sought new ways to reach a global audience. The diversity and innovation shown at the event this year can hopefully mean more channels for designers and brands in this time of uncertainty in global trade.
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