Top 5 Fashion Brands from China That Are Worth Paying Attention To

Delicate colors, high-quality fabrics and modern technologies – let’s find out who is who in the Chinese fashion industry.

Ms Min

Despite the fact that designer Liu Min says that her love for fashion started with American and European glossy magazines. She decided to create her clothing brand under the influence of Chinese visual culture and art. Vivienne Westwood was always a style icon for the girl, and she studied each of her collections as an art object.

After graduating from the London College of fashion, Liu completed an internship at Viktor & Rolf and decided to return home to establish her brand in the atmosphere, she grew up in. Liu’s first collection was released in 2011 – at first, it was sold only on the official website, but her clothes quickly began to appear in offline boutiques. International recognition came after the Ms Min brand began selling in North America, and the designer received several fashion awards.

In her collections, Liu Min tries to match global trends with Chinese aesthetics, focusing on women who appreciate elegance, simple silhouettes and basic colors. The girl says that she doesn’t want Ms Min’s clothes to depend on the era, they should reflect the personality of its owner.

Qiu Hao

Photo: qiuhaoqiuhao.com

Chinese designer Qiu Hao tried to create his own clothing brand a few times, but could not understand which way is better to start from. Success came to him after he teamed up with his friend and outlined the concept of the Qiu Hao brand and released the first collection. Surprisingly, but the young man studied interior design at the University. Ne did receive a specialized education at St. Martin's College much later. 

At first, Qiu created clothing in only two colors – black and white – making a bet on unusual cut and interesting details. Extravagant voluminous silhouettes, huge hoods and matte fabrics attached to his collections notes of mysticism and fantasy, Chinese and European fashionistas are fond of.

Photo: qiuhaoqiuhao.com

Since then, Qiu Hao’s style has changed – now, there are more vivid colors and everyday looks in the collections, but the key point remains the same –  the brand features the atmosphere of mystery and alienness, going to another, higher level with each new season.

Over the years, Qiu Hao has become one of the most influential Chinese designers. You can find clothing from this brand in many famous magazines: Haper's Bazaar, Vogue, V magazine, Elle and L'officiel, while Hao himself tops the lists of most influential people in the fashion industry in China.

Vega Zaishi Wang

Designer Wang Zaishi always thought she would be able to succeed in the world of fashion only if she moved to Europe. So at the age of 16, she entered the London College, planning to stay in there forever. For the graduation show, the girl wanted to create a collection of luminous clothes, which needed a large sponsorship budget. The owner of the Beijing Studio agreed to help Wang with only one condition – after the show, Zaishi will return to her hometown and work with her. The girl agreed, but in a year she left, founded her own clothing brand and later opened several showrooms.

Van Zaishi says that the years spent in Europe have greatly influenced her attitude to fashion, however, she gives more priority to Chinese traditions. Simple silhouettes, calm prints and accentuated femininity can be traced in each collection, and the brand's DNA is a combination of a European attitude to practicality and awareness, and a focus on Chinese history and culture.

Xiao Li

While studying at the European University, designer Xiao Li specialized in knitwear and interned at Alexander McQueen and Gareth Pugh fashion houses. When the girl created her clothing brand Xiao Li in 2013, she started experimenting with modern technologies and 3D printer.

Xiao Li’s style is strikingly different from the way the world imagines Chinese fashion just a few years ago. No embroidery with golden threads, satin fabrics and red color. Xiao Li is lacomism and tenderness in its purest form, which is sometimes complemented with quirky accessories and shoes. The girl says that at the beginning of her career, her main goal was to show that knitwear is not limited to cardigans and can look modern and even futuristic.

Yifang Wan

While attending College, Chinese Yifang Wan won the competition for young designers from L'oreal and began to participate in fashion shows in London. The first collection of her brand was fully dedicated to minimalism. When designing and creating new looks, she used only three colors – white, grey and black. Now, Yifang Wan’s color palette has become much wider: juicy colors, animalistic and newspaper prints. The Yifan brand has already gained worldwide fame. Lady Gaga opted for clothes from this brand during her tour of Asia.

The girl says that she creates clothing for young women who appreciate minimalism and don't like bright details and massive accessories. Her main task as a designer is to create clothes that can become a “second skin” for a person, emphasizing the individuality.