LONDON — Shanghai Fashion Week is looking to pivot in a challenging time when sluggish local economy dents fashion spending.
The biannual fashion showcase and trading hub, under the leadership of Xiaolei Lv, currently executive vice chairman of the Shanghai Fashion Designer Association, has spent the past decade transforming its infrastructure to cater to China’s booming demand for designer fashion, fostering and ushering a generation of young talents reaching global fame.
However, as China’s economy took a hit in recent years due to a structural slowdown, Shanghai Fashion Week has responded swiftly, scaling back in size and opening up to more global players looking to diversify their revenue stream.
The fall 2025 edition of Shanghai Fashion Week will run from March 25 to 31, with 100 brands showing on the official calendar. The weeklong showcase will kick off with EP Yaying, a high-end womenswear fashion brand headquartered in Jingbo, which is a 90-minute high-speed train ride away from Shanghai.
Joining local fixtures Shushu/Tong, Mark Gong, Oude Waag and Comme Moi are international brands Georgina Chapman’s Marchesa, Lorena Antoniazzi from Italy, Vietnamese label Lsoul and American brand Auteur Studio, which will all show on the official calendar of Shanghai Fashion Week for the first time.
Under the support of the African Export-Import Bank, more than 20 designer brands from Africa including South Africa’s Imprint Za by Mzukisi Mbane, Rich Mnisi, David Tlale and Mantsho; Senegal’s Adama Paris; Ghana’s Studio 189; Nigeria’s Ejiro Amos Tafiri and Bloke, and Egypt’s Maison Farah Wali will also bring their latest collections to meet buyers at Mode, Shanghai Fashion Week’s official showroom.
The influx of global brands from more than 30 countries this season can be partially attributed to the incentives offered by the Shanghai Government’s “First in Shanghai” initiative.
Introduced last April, the action plan aims to organize and promote product launches between March and May each year. It will support brands to open their first stores or organize debut events in Shanghai, with a bonus of 1 million renminbi, or $137,875, for the first store in Asia.
At the emerging talent showcase platform Labelhood, it’s all about lowering the cost without sacrificing creativity, according to founder Tasha Liu.
In addition to runway shows for brands like Yirantian, Jarelzhang, WMWM, Private Policy, Swaying/Knit, Ao Yes and Weiraen, Labelhood will also bring back the presentation format for newcomers rooted in multiculturalism. They are Papi Lav, Le Ngok, Zita Tan, An Action a Day, Guest House, Tongwang and Lelales.
Several big names, such as Qiu Hao, Samuel Gui Yang, Xander Zhou, Jacques Wei and Shuting Qiu, will show off the schedule.
Dovetailing Shanghai Fashion Week, on April 2 Ralph Lauren will stage its first resee runway show in Asia to showcase the spring 2025 collections. The show will take place at the Rojo Art Space in Shanghai. Some 200 people are expected to be in attendance.
First shown in Bridgehampton during New York Fashion Week in September 2024, the fashion show in Shanghai will involve the World of Ralph Lauren through a see now, buy now experience. The spring 2025 collections feature the Ralph Lauren Collection, Purple Label and Polo Ralph Lauren men’s, women’s and children’s lines.
On the event side, Susan Fang, who presented her fall 2025 collection in Milan with support from Dolce & Gabbana, will host an exhibition with panel discussions at Zhangyuan during Shanghai Fashion Week.
Fashion Asia Hongkong, operated by the Hong Kong Design Center, will host 10 Asian Designers to the Watch exhibition featuring local talents as well as Juntae Kim from South Korea, Grace Ling from New York, Tanaka Daisuke from Japan and Satoshi Kuwata of Setchu, who is now based in Milan.
The Sustasia Fashion Prize, a new fashion prize cohosted by the Shanghai Fashion Designer Association and Shaway Yeh’s sustainability agency Yehyehyeh, will reveal its winner with an award ceremony.
Authentic Brands Group will host a media meet and greet to celebrate signing local power player Belle Fashion Group as Champion’s China partner. Senior executives from both companies will be present.
