Monday, 10 September 2018 – Chinese fashion designers are making their way onto the world stage thanks to Tmall, China’s premier online shopping destination, as they showcased local designers under the “Tmall China Day” banner at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) with “China Cool.”
The show was part of Tmall’s efforts to cultivate homegrown fashion talent and the growing creative culture in China, creating a new meaning for the term “Made in China” and promoting the trend of “Designed in China.” The initiative aims to help Chinese brands expand globally, through designer-buyer matchmaking, e-commerce collaborations and showcases at fashion week events.
CHINA COOL: “China Cool” was a celebration of the shift China is making from a manufacturing powerhouse, to a design and creativity powerhouse. Tmall presented these up-and-coming brands because they believe they are on the leading edge of what Chinese consumers, and increasingly global consumers, will want in the near future.
CHINA FASHION BY THE NUMBERS:
According to Tmall, the first China Day brands who participated in the February New York Fashion Week Menswear show reported sales gains following the event.
Chinese designer Cheng Peng said it has doubled its global retail channels to more than 80 outlets, among which North American retailers have increased orders by more than 50%.
Popular streetwear label Peace Bird and CLOT, founded by Hong Kong entrepreneur Kevin Poon and actor-musician Edison Chen, say their runway show prompted various collaboration invitations from Chinese and international fashion circles.
Chinese sportswear giant Li Ning saw its stock soar by 50% in a single month after February China Day.
FEATURED DESIGN COLLECTION “Unlimited” by JNBY
Founded in 1994 by a team of 12 art and design students, the Chinese fashion brand JNBY initially got its inspiration from the look of club kids in the late 1980s and 90s. Espousing a modern DIY aesthetic, the brand aimed to make convertible clothes that would allow its wearers to interpret them per their personal style. The clothes soon developed a strong fanbase.
JNBY operates over 700 stores around the world with the Seattle, WA (USA) store being the first official expansion of JNBY in the USA.