Despite a smaller runway calendar, the spring 2026 season of Shanghai Fashion Week still managed to attract major buyers from Mainland China, the rest of Asia, and beyond.
This season, buyers continued to favor New Chinese Style’s sense of nostalgia and romance, and looked to younger brands that update the style with a strong creative proposition, such as Ao Yes.
“It’s so interesting how they [Ao Yes] interpret traditional Chinese patterns and embroideries in such a modern and playful way,” said Eléonore Daquet, brand manager at Dover Street Market Paris.
“The clean lines and structured silhouettes felt elegant, confident, and culturally grounded,” said Ramu Kim, buyer at Nubian Tokyo.
Facing uncertain economic outlooks, Chinese consumers continue to gravitate toward comfort and textures.
“Soothing knits in Giorgio Morandi colors and relaxed linen suits have become new favorites,” said Alter Showroom’s founder and fashion director Sonja Long.
“Overly traditional, classic, or exaggerated designs are no longer as popular as they used to be. Now, relaxed, playful, and lifestyle styles are selling better,” said Ding Meimei, founder of DFO Showroom.
“I think this season’s showrooms really highlight the flexibility and creativity of China’s fashion industry. Even in a challenging economic environment, brands are approaching things with a proactive, open mindset — and that’s how they continue to find new opportunities for growth,” said Lv Xiaolei, Shanghai Fashion Week’s doyenne and executive vice chairman of the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association.
This season, SFDA launched the New Wave Fashion Awards, which aim to seek out and support the next generation of Chinese creative directors.
“The growth and development of designers and brands is a continuous process. By providing consistent guidance, resources, and opportunities for exchange, the association ensures that talent is not just a fleeting presence, but can truly take root, grow, and ultimately flourish,” said Lv.
A push for creative leadership could breathe new life into China’s fashion market.
“While this fashion week felt generally lackluster, brands that consistently delivered compelling results demonstrated strength and resilience,” said Eric Young, founder of LMDS.
“Retail spending also seems to be picking up. I’m looking forward to a positive market environment — for real this time. I want to urge everyone to consume good design; that’s when things can truly improve again,” observed Young.
Here, buyers discuss some of the week’s highlights.
Eléonore Daquet, brand manager, Dover Street Market Paris
Favorite collection: My favorite collection is Ao Yes. It’s so interesting how they reinterpret traditional Chinese patterns and embroideries in such a modern and playful way. Sadly, I missed Shushu/Tong’s show, but I saw the collection in the showroom, and one thing is for sure: I want to get married in Shushu/Tong.
Must-have item: Little black dress from Ao Yes, so chic and easy. Bow tie party but make it low key!
A look from Ao Yes, spring 2026
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Best show formats: What I love about Shanghai Fashion Week is that everything is concentrated in one place, with different atmospheres on each level. The fact that most of the shows happen at Suhe Haus makes the whole experience easy and smooth.
Impression of the week: An amazing week filled with incredible energy and purpose-driven people who are truly moving mountains for Chinese fashion to cross oceans, and that’s exactly what we love: passionate people.
Ramu Kim, buyer at Nubian Tokyo
Favorite collection: Shushu/Tong — their runway stood out with strong storytelling and cinematic direction. The collection beautifully blended innocence and maturity, expressing the brand’s signature romantic yet empowered femininity through modern silhouettes and delicate lace details.
Best show formats: Shushu/Tong’s presentation was intimate and emotional — models walking with flowers created a poetic narrative of delicate strength. It felt cinematic yet grounded, expressing femininity with confidence and craftsmanship that balanced softness and power.
Must-have item: Floral patterns and floral-detailed pieces that capture both softness and strength — especially the lace dresses layered with contrasting tones, and the ruffled minidresses that express modern romanticism. This season, many brands also embraced floral motifs, showing how femininity continues to evolve across different aesthetics.
New Talent: Ao Yes — a refreshing brand blending modern tailoring with subtle Chinese traditional elements. The clean lines and structured silhouettes felt elegant, confident, and culturally grounded.
Impression of the week: Shanghai Fashion Week was filled with inspiring creativity and confident energy from both local and international brands. The recurring floral themes reflected a romantic yet powerful direction, showing how designers are redefining femininity in today’s cultural context.
Eric Young, founder of LMDS, Shanghai
Favorite collection: For Xu Zhi’s tenth year anniversary, the designer put forth a narrative that felt compelling with interesting styling details. The brand created a sense of warm and profound beauty, as if lost in time.
Best show formats: Mark Gong finally bade farewell to his New York City metropolitan themes of previous seasons and embraced a new chapter by going on a road trip. The atmosphere was vibrant and full of energy. The cinematic narrative of “Thelma & Louise” presented a more diverse fashion story.
Must-have item: Ratio et Motus is a handbag and accessories brand that has recently resumed operations after a hiatus due to the pandemic. Design director Shenghao Li, nearly a year after relocating from New York to Shanghai showcased his long-awaited new collection at LMDS during fashion week. From the moment I saw the actual product, I was fully convinced that his stylish foldable baguette is a must-have next season.
Ratio et Motus
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Samuel Gui Yang’s dresses. This year also marks the 10-year anniversary of the SGY brand. The graceful and exquisite dress has become the signature design of his, and the new works in the new series are also worth having.
New Talent: I discovered the brand Ayang at Tube showroom. Although it is very new and the collection doesn’t feel that complete, the relaxed atmosphere created by the brand’s skillful usage of Italian fabrics made me feel very happy.
Impression of the week: While this fashion week felt generally lackluster, brands that consistently delivered compelling results demonstrated strength and resilience. Retail spending also seems to be picking up. I’m looking forward to a positive market environment — for real this time. I want to urge everyone to consume good design, that’s when things can truly improve again.
Cherie Wen, founder and buyer, So What, Chengdu
Favorite collection: Unmute
Best show formats: Oude Waag
Must-have item: Enrico Borino leather jacket
New Talent: Enrico Borino
Impression of the week: The apparel market feels rather uninspiring — there are very few brands with an identity of their own. On top of that, most designer labels struggle to control production costs, so their value-for-money proposition tends to be an issue. That said, Chinese designers generally react better to local aesthetic preferences, and judging from many showrooms, they still seem to attract a good number of clients.
A look from Enrico Borino’s spring 2026 collection.
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Claudia De Beer, footwear buyer at Level Shoes, United Arab Emirates
Favorite collection: Mark Gong
Best show formats: J.Ruremind had a very engaging and interesting show, different from the expected routine. However, I do love the introduction of running shoes at 8on8. It was very fun!
Must-have item: The cowboy boots at Mark Gong.
A look from Mark Gong’s spring 2026 collection.
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New Talent: I am unsure of what is new talent as it wasn’t disclosed to me; however, I really enjoyed Pantterfly when I was going through the recaps of the shows and it’s a new brand for me to have discovered through social media. It was so beautiful, feminine but bold and strong.
Impression of the week: 8on8 running shoes. I want to know who they collaborated with, or if it’s 8on8’s own sneaker; Otherwise, the Mark Gong thigh-high cowboy boots. Super fun, the brown and the pink ones are my favorite.
8on8’s spring 2026 collection.
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Tran Thi Hoai Anh, founder of Runway, Vietnam
Favorite collection: Yayi, Eyamey, Judy Hua
Must-have item: Her Senses lingerie – people need to keep an eye on this brand, it’s getting better and better each collection. The designer knows their craft and knows the body of a woman.
New Talent: Assignments and TuoseLab
Impression of the week: Shanghai Fashion Week is getting so much better and so vibrant, everything is so well organized and is definitely the place to be.
Pavanaree Tohsaeng (Bibi), brand director of contemporary fashion at Club 21, Thailand
Favorite collection: Some interesting names that are on the radar were Hanchi Studios at the Alter showroom, offering chic styles with contrasting fabrics like lace, buttons, and tailoring details; Minnahui, with its unique printed graphics, and Poum, which played beautifully with vibrant color patterns.
Best show format: It’s a bit of a pity that some shows I wanted to see were scheduled before I arrived, but I still managed to catch three shows at the end.
New Talent: IIi Node stood out with flowy, chic pieces in light fabrics and relaxed silhouettes, while the Youtopia incubation platform introducing new Chinese design talents was full of fresh energy and creative silhouettes.
