Feeling Chinese, are we? Since we’re all celebrating the beauty of Chinese culture and its wellness traditions on the Internet, it’s high time you lock in for the most Chinese time of the year. The Lunar New Year celebrations have sprung, and with it, comes your wardrobe overhaul.
As far as CNY customs go, this has to be our favourite by far. There is no better reason than a family affair to cash in on some new outfits, even better if they’re picks you can wear well beyond the festivities. To that end, we urge you to look towards the burgeoning Chinese sartorial landscape. Whilst there are stalwart brands like Shanghai Tang or Sau Lee who have established themselves in the scene, the world of Chinese fashion has since taken off amid the rise of Shanghai Fashion Week over the past few years; as brands like Mark Gong or Samuel Gui Yang have become near synonymous with it.
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Looking beyond however, we’re honing in on the neo-Chinese brands and designers who have been beautifully melding Eastern elements and heritage details with contemporary silhouettes—and contributing to the boom in its sartorial landscape. Floral motifs, fluid silks and unique fastenings—like pankou knotted closures—are utilised in these designs, but are easily transmutable into a modern wardrobe as well.
Take Ya Yi for one, whose strong material focus is instantly evocative and reminiscent of the designer’s cultural roots, using textiles like rice paper and dyed silks in her work. Or Ao Yes, who infuses a sense of freshness and play into its designs, paying homage to details derived from historical garb or clothes the Chinese might have worn back in the day.
Below, a curation of neo-Chinese brands worthy of a look up, with designs you can wear well past the festivities.
1 / 5
Ya Yi
When it comes to communicating her multicultural heritage (she grew up in between Spain and China), Yayi Chen Zhou excels in it. Whilst plenty of Ya Yi’s flowing shapes are led by movement and carry motifs one might see in traditional qipaos or Chinese ink paintings, it is in the intricate craftsmanship where her namesake label shines. She crafts organic forms using materials like iron dyed silks, linen yarn or rice paper, reimagining the ways in which these materials are typically used in her culture.
2 / 5
Ao Yes
One of the big up-and-comers on the list, Ao Yes has gained recognition for its strong emphasis on Eastern elements—weaved into garments in a contemporary fashion. Helmed by creative director pair Austin Wang and Yansong Liu, the brand melds bold details usually seen in traditional Chinese wear, like floral embroidery or zheshan (folded fan) decoration, into modern silhouettes.
3 / 5
Yirantian
One of the major players of Shanghai Fashion Week, Yirantian—founded by the designer with the same name—combines the sartorial language of the modern Chinese woman with a fresh approach to city living. Of fluid fabrics, softness in shapes and considered details that feel distinctively feminine.
4 / 5
Cult of 9
Taking ’Made in China’ to a whole new level is Cult of 9. Growing up in China, its founder, Michelle wanted to honour the time-honoured craftsmanship of the land’s artisans, working with them to build small batch designs that utilise heritage fabrics and incorporate details like the hanfu closure on its hero piece, the Asymmetric Pavilion jacket.
5 / 5
Wet Tail
A preferred brand for style savant Garbo Zhu, Wet Tail is the ideal find for feminine pieces. Teeming with the soft draping, wrap styles and floral paintings that are unique to the East Asian land, you can find stylish twists on versatile wrap skirts, silk cheongsam tops and slinky dress options.
