Shanghai Fashion Week 2023: why isn’t it as famous as the others?
From October 8 to 16, about 100 brands presented their spring/summer 2024 collections at SHFW, which is trying to extend its influence.
SHANGHAI FASHION WEEK OCTOBER 2023: THE BEST SHOWS AND THE RESONANCE OF THE EVENT
At its 21st anniversary, international editors and buyers return to Shanghai Fashion Week after several years of limitations due to the pandemic.
The first brand to walk the runway was Icicle, that has been promoting the use of organic materials while respecting the traditional Chinese concept of the importance of harmony between man and nature since 1997. The brand’s “made in Earth” collections, designed between Shanghai and Paris, are minimalist and focus on quality and durability.
In the following days, both international brands such as Pronovias – a Catalan company of wedding dresses – and local brands such as 荷木HEMU – that takes inspiration from Chinese heritage and mainly uses natural fibers, such as silk and cashmere – were presented.
Stella McCartney closed the events of the week, and its return to Shanghai Fashion Week (the last time was in 2019) demonstrated the growing importance of Asian markets in the luxury industry. The English brand also brought the exhibition Future of fashion: an innovation conversation with Stella McCartney, that caught everybody’s attention during Paris Fashion Week.
The Chinese Fashion Week focused on both established and emerging brands. However, many Chinese fashion designers – including Susan Fang, 8ON8, Rui Zhou, and Didu – have preferred to show their collections at the well-known Fashion Week in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. However, Susan Fang decided to attend SHFW, to stay in touch with the Chinese market. Also Icicle, which, despite expanding internationally, owes much to the local market, showed its collection in Shanghai.
Although Shanghai Fashion Week is growing and supports the leading brands more and more, the number of young entrepreneurs is declining. In addition, consumers have not yet returned to the levels reached before Covid-19, and buyers are cautious about risking and investing in new brands. Some insiders have said that sales have not lived up to expectations. At the same time, important presences such as the one of Stella McCartney and events such as the Versace Icons dinner – hosted by Donatella Versace and global ambassador Chris Lee – raise hopes for the growth of the resonance of the event.
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