The “Gong Girl” is all grown up. Mark Gong’s fall 2025 collection got the first full day of Shanghai Fashion Week going today. We saw no would-be viral runway stunts, and the clothes were decidedly more mature—there were almost no cargo pants in sight, even if he couldn’t stay away from a party corset or two.
All that said, Gong’s turning a new leaf didn’t make his presentation less entertaining. He lined his set with mirrors to reflect his strobe lights and covered the floor with copies of “The Markgong News,” a satirical tabloid he created documenting the comings and goings of his “Gong Girls,” calling back to the celebrity rags of the 2000s. Backstage he name-checked aughts It-girls and paparazzi catnip Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Kim Kardashian, as references. (Fashion’s current obsession with newspapers has made its way to Shanghai after showing up in London and Paris.)
“We [dressed] good celebrities early on, so this season we thought of looking into the It-girls that really influenced many of us,” he explained. Gong has outfitted Rihanna, Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, and Olivia Rodrigo, among others, the most recent being Lisa for the 2025 Oscars. Rather than remaking some of the Y2K staples that Hilton et al. wore back then (“I hate that term!” He quipped at the mere suggestion), Gong considered their wardrobes, and the women, more expansively. The only direct reference was a slogan tee that read “I love Mark Gong, money, and boys,” which his fans will appreciate.
“People called them bad girls because they partied or got drunk,” or because there was a sex tape or two involved, Gong reflected, “but look at them now, they’re flawless!” he continued, referring to Lohan’s comeback and Hilton’s successful lobbying in US congress. The culture now sees these women with more nuanced eyes, and Gong is part of the generation that owns this point of view: “We are not trying to tell ‘Gong Girls’ they have to be ‘good’ or that they can’t do this or that, they can just be themselves.”
The show started with a dressier-than-usual section by Gong’s standards: Black fringed coats and ponchos with trousers and skirts to match looked like runway versions of Lisa’s elongated jacket and shirt dress. From there, he loosened up, revealing a well-rounded wardrobe proposition that showcased a newfound maturity. The tailoring was a particular standout. To his credit, he balanced his vertiginously high stiletto boots and micro shorts with everyday cardigans and comfy, roomy slacks.
At times the show styling leaned on other brands’ vernaculars—a colleague drew comparisons to the work of a Milan-based, Canadian duo. Gong needs not to rely on such tropes, he’s doing fine building his own vision as the designer on the SHFW calendar making the most noise abroad. Following his Academy Awards hit with Lisa, Gong had some of his models carry Oscar statuettes. Be it a well-earned brag or some future manifestation, one thing is certain—Gong has his sights set on bigger things, and the ambition to get there.
