Chinese designers are vying for a place in China’s evolving fashion landscape.

Here are some of the most influential designers in China.

China industry has grown in the last years and women began to experiment with fashion and at this time consumers are starting to accept Chinese designers.

The industry is rapidly changing from “Made in China” to “Designed in China”. Consequently Chinese designers are gaining growing interest both at home and abroad.

HELEN LEE

Helen Lee is an emblematic designer of Shanghai’s cosmopolitan flavor.  Helen Lee brand delivers a modern metropolis style which reflects Shanghai’s local culture for a younger client base.  Her icon is a modern, urban and young woman and the line is all about being feminine, independent and sensual at the same time.

THE THING SHANGHAI

The Things is a menswear/streetwear brand located in Changle Lu. Since their introduction, The Thing has grown up a lot but the brand is still developing. Their funny style is the reason why Shanghai people love this brand.

WHERE, WHAT, WHO

Where, What, Who created by Chinese fashion designers Zhang Feng and Danni Tang is a brand that has influences from rock music and culture from the ’60s and ’70s. The line includes leggings, skirts, and tops, that are layered together in a haphazard, thrown-together aesthetic in order to recreating that iconic image of the art rebel. They use black, white and grey as main colors.

LA VIE

Ji Cheng is La Vie’s founder, she describes her style as a mix of Chinese sophisticated chic with modern wit, traditions tempered with intelligence and humor. The brand values are happiness, originality and lifestyle. She also has a custom-made Couture line called “The Wedding by La Vie” and her designs are well-known for their impeccable tailoring and attention to detail.

LIU2

Also situated in Changle Lu in the French Concession, Liu2 is an irresistible womenswear brand  with a feminine style. Earth colors and often abstract cuts and silhouettes are part of their style.

JUDY HUA

Judy Hua is one of the most talented designers with a classic, preppy and feminine style.  Her line is targetting urban and independent women with a professional and mature style. She owns several boutiques in Shanghai and also designs clothes for artists such as Xue Song, Yue Minjun and Zeng Hao.

CHAIREYES

ChairEyes is a Shanghai based eyewear brand which is becoming one of China´s frirst successful eyewear labels.  This brand has more than 20 different locations around the world. Celebrities and artists are wearing ChairEyes sunglasses since the creation of the brand.

CLOE CHEN

Shanghai people love Chloe Chen´s clothes. Her line includes everything from shoes, handbags, coats to cocktail dresses. Her designs are youthful but classy and playful while still classic.

XANDER ZHOU

Xander Zhou is a menswear design with a sophisticated and daring design aesthetic with a unique fashion sensibility. He is exploring his original preppy aesthetics and injects modern and sportswear elements to them. His line includes sneakers, sandals and some pieces featuring words and optical illusion prints.

NICOLE ZHANG

Nicole Zhang has gradually built up a respectable following as one of the city’s most promising home-grown talents. She designs for  elegant, sexy, and uninhibited women. Her clothes have high-quality fabrics and a fun and modern design concept.  The line is functional, casual and almost unisex in its sensibility.

JOSIE CHEN RANGE

Josie Chen Range was born and raised in the UK an moved to Asia to study fine art and textile design in Japan. Her aesthetic design incorporates her passion for diverse cultures and fine art. Each piece is lead, nickel and cadmium free and also handmade with limited number of pieces per line. Her accessories are funky, rebellious, rock-chick, and yet subtly feminine.

UMA WANG

Designer Uma Wang has become a leading force into the Chinese fashion industry thanks to her shows and presentations. She is considered like a fashion industry professional who is always impressing audiences with her designs and techniques. Uma Wang´s collections are innovative and her style is based on color and understated edgy pieces. Her ability to mix textures and fabrics to create simple but strong garments with subtle detailing have placed her on a path towards becoming the first international famous Chinese designer.

HAN FENG

Han Feng is one of the most talented designers in China. She was born in Nanjing but moved to New York City where she began her fashion career.  She has an indefinable style because it is always changing. Consequently, Han Feng also creates clothes for theatrical opera productions like Madame Butterfly.

NEITHER NOR

The designer behind Neither Nor is Wang Qiaoqiao. Her line is always feminine and colorful and she designs for independent, empowered, modern and urban women.

 

COKO WAN

Coko Wan is one of the most successful Chinese designers who is best known for her accessories and colorful aesthetic. She uses unconventional textures and colors.  She attended the London College of Fashion and created  her own line of bags, accessories and garments once she returned to Shanghai.

This generation of Chinese designers have style, they know fashion and they have a voice.  Consumers want to be more individualized and Chinese designers are gaining more interest from Chinese customers.

As a result of their desires, they are turning more and more towards Chinese designers, because they can offer products more adapted to Chinese tastes and aesthetics than some of the international brands.

Sources:

The most influential Chinese designers

Fashion industry in China

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