Shanghai Fashion Week is about to electrify the global style calendar, and this year’s schedule promises not just glitz, but a transformative evolution at the heart of China’s fashion industry. Mark your calendars: from October 9 to 16, the city becomes a dynamic arena for creativity, culture, and controversy. Will innovation lead, or will tradition hold sway? That’s the million-dollar question everyone’s debating.
The week begins mere moments after the curtain falls on Paris, setting the stage for a high-energy handoff from one world fashion capital to another. Toward the finale, the spotlight intensifies as homegrown powerhouse Shushu/Tong celebrates a sensational 10th anniversary show to close the event on October 16. Expect headlines—and perhaps a few surprises.
But here’s where it gets especially intriguing: Shanghai Fashion Week is much more than a series of fashion shows. Local authorities have positioned the event as a benchmark for blending technology, the arts, culture, and sustainability, encouraging fledgling designers to leap onto the global radar. Will this grand vision truly open global doors for emerging brands, or is there a risk of local talent being overshadowed? This is the part most people overlook.
On the runways at Xintiandi—arguably Shanghai’s fashion epicenter—you’ll see leading names like Comme Moi, HLA, Mark Fairwhale, Xu Zhi, 8on8, Hidemi, Rico Lee, and Awaylee, not to mention international stars including Korea’s EENK, Denmark’s Only, the U.S.-based Climate Project, and select luxury eveningwear designers from Malaysia and Vietnam. This diversity is prompting lively debate—are these global collaborations enhancing the local scene, or diluting Shanghai’s homegrown identity?
Meanwhile, the innovative Labelhood platform, known for spotlighting next-generation talent, is relocating this season to Suhe Haus—a storied warehouse turned creative space along Suzhou Creek. Emerging talents such as Oude Waag, Mark Gong, Yirantian, Zita Tan, Cello Sonata, and Jarelzhang join Shushu/Tong in putting fresh perspectives on display.
Not everyone is following the main path. Don’t miss Samuel Gui Yang, celebrated for championing the New Chinese Style, who’s scheduled off-calendar on October 13—a bold move that defies convention. Likewise, Jacques Wei, whose unique fusion of vintage Parisian glamour with modern surrealism is gaining buzz worldwide, will show on October 10 but outside the official program. Are these off-calendar choices acts of creative freedom, or do they unintentionally sideline themselves from the week’s headline-grabbing moments?
Major global players are also jumping in. H&M and Mercedes-Benz, for example, are both leveraging the week to present special collaborations with China’s top designers on October 9 and 14. H&M’s partnership with Shanghai Fashion Week, launched in April 2024, has already produced a sold-out collaboration with Garçon by Garçon last season—proof, perhaps, of the appetite for East-meets-West creative mashups.
Adidas, celebrating two decades in Shanghai, is mounting an immersive series of events under the theme “Power of Three” at the historic Old City Hall by the Bund, involving everyone from musicians and dancers to visual artists and models. Is this a meaningful showcase of creative community or just a marketing spectacle?
And this is another hot-button issue: luxury conglomerate Kering will crown the winner of the 4th annual Kering Generation Award at the Museum of Art Pudong, focusing this year’s competition on positive impact in water resources—a topic with real global stakes. Which Chinese startup will rise to the challenge, and can the tech sector truly disrupt fashion’s sustainability problems?
Across town, legendary British retailer Harrods is hosting exclusive talks at its members-only venue, The Residence, aiming to bridge Shanghai and London’s style scenes. Is this international exchange enriching the local dialogue, or does it still reflect a Western lens on Chinese creativity?
Lastly, independent fashion publication A Magazine Curated By joins forces with Labelhood for a boundary-pushing exhibition featuring original works from both global designers and cutting-edge Chinese creators, including the likes of Xander Zhou, Uma Wang, Shushu/Tong, Rui Zhou, Oscar Ouyang, Windowsen, M Essential, and Samuel Gui Yang. Will this bold blend set new benchmarks for creative collaboration?
What do you think: Does Shanghai Fashion Week’s ambitious blend of tradition and innovation signal a true changing of the guard in global fashion, or is it still a work in progress? Does the surge of international involvement help or hinder local design talent? Join the conversation below and let us know—do you agree with the direction Shanghai is heading, or do you see room for improvement?
