Cai Xukun, Li Xian break Chinese internet at Milan Fashion Week

As fashion houses vie for global relevance, leveraging star power and digital presence have become keys to success — and Asian celebrities have been proven vital to this. Whether embracing sustainability, experimenting with fabrics, or tapping into cultural moments, brands are seeking fresh ways to engage audiences. This season's runway shows at Milan Fashion Week showcased diverse strategies, from Bottega Veneta’s viral animal-themed beanbags to Fendi’s focus on craftsmanship and exclusivity. While some brands like Prada and Versace succeeded in capturing the attention of millions via Chinese social media, others like Ferragamo and Tod’s took a more muted approach, raising questions about how to balance traditional luxury values with the immediacy of the digital age. Here’s a closer look at how key players such as Fendi, Prada, Versace, and more fared this season, and the growing importance of the Chinese market in shaping fashion’s global future, using exclusive social media data provided by influencer marketing and analytics platform WeArisma, Jing Daily analyzes the media value (MV) and social media buzz of beauty brands across APAC social media platforms. Prada ($18.4 million MV) This season, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons challenge the algorithm-driven consumption that delivers a constant, predictable stream of content. In contrast, they argue, humanity thrives on unpredictability. Their collection reflects this tension, blending contradictory elements like retro and futuristic styles. Despite critiquing algorithmic predictability, Prada masterfully leveraged social media, with a star-studded front row featuring K-pop idols like the members of Enhypen, Aespa’s Karina, NCT’s Jaehyun, and Chinese actors Jia Ling and Li Xian. The result? A staggering 54.6 million views on Weibo's livestream, underscoring Prada’s ability to captivate a global digital audience. Versace ($7 million MV) Another brand mastering social media traffic, especially the Chinese web, is Versace. In May, the brand named Chinese pop star Cai Xukun as its global ambassador. Previously Prada’s ambassador, Cai parted ways with the brand last year following some controversies, but his influence remains undeniable. His appearance at Milan Fashion Week generated significant buzz, with the Weibo hashtag "Cai Xukun Milan Fashion Week" amassing an impressive 270 million views. Other notable attendees at Versace’s show included global ambassador Zhao Lusi, alongside Wang Anyu and Chang Huasheng. Held at the iconic Castello Sforzesco, Donatella Versace’s latest collection revisited her favorite designs from Versace’s Versus line, 1997 collection, infusing them with a modern twist. The looks felt vibrant and youthful, leaning away from Versace’s traditionally seductive aesthetic. Floral prints and zigzag knits stood out, featuring bold palette contrasts like pale yellow with lavender and blue with brown. Ferragamo ($1.7 million MV) Creative Director Maximilian Davis continues to shape Ferragamo’s collections with a refined blend of elegance and femininity. This season, Davis delves into the brand’s ballet heritage, drawing inspiration from custom-made ballet flats commissioned in the 1980s by Rudolf Nureyev and dancer Katherine Dunham. This archival reference led to a collection that balances minimalist rehearsal wear —shorts, tops, and leggings — with oversized 1980s-inspired pieces such as trench coats, frayed jeans, and parachute dresses. A standout is the reimagined Gancini motif, now carved into leather for a bold trench coat. With “balletcore” trending in China, the collection’s theme could resonate well with local consumers. Ferragamo also invited Chinese ballet dancer Tan Yuanyuan to attend. However, Ferragamo has remained relatively quiet in the mainland market, despite spotlighting fashion-forward stars like Qi Wei and Wu Qianyu. The brand’s lack of social media engagement, particularly on Weibo and Instagram, raises concerns. As Ferragamo works to establish its new creative vision, a stronger digital presence in China may be crucial to maintaining momentum. Fendi ($9.2 million MV) With the arrival of Fendi’s centenary, womenswear creative director Kim Jones brings together the ready-to-wear and couture worlds of Fendi, elevating women’s everyday wardrobes with materials, embroideries, and supreme craftsmanship that echo the roaring 1920s. Popping viewers’ eyes was an alligator ready-to-wear piece. It is evident that brands are courting the uber rich via high quality, hard-to-get fabrics. Notably, Fendi sent its global VIC (Very Important Customers) to its Milan showroom, where they could not only get a preview of the collection, but also try items on and preorder. Among them were many Asian faces, which explains why the brand just added a new Chinese celebrity, Tang Yan, to its row of ambassadors including Song Yuqi, Cheng Xiao, Song Hyego. Tang, who recently starred in Wong Karwai’s Blossoms Shanghai series, enjoys widespread popularity in the mainland market. Her presence secured Fendi’s runway livestream over 22 million views, with many fans joining Weibo’s broadcast room to support her. Max Mara ($4.1 million MV) Each season, Creative Director Ian Griffiths draws inspiration from a new muse. This time, he turned to the Alexandrian polymath Hypatia, exploring the parallels between science and design. The collection features precise tailoring, geometric lines, and sartorial perfection, set against a clean palette of crystalline white, chocolate brown, and navy blue. Netizens have praised the collection’s functionality and timeless classicism, with luxury buyers increasingly drawn to its quiet aesthetic. One Weibo user, @Joan_213, remarked, "Very elegant, the feeling of an urban heroine overflowing the screen." Taiwanese news anchor Hou Peicen was among those attending the runway show, but the absence of prominent Chinese celebrities limited the brand's reach within the mainland market. Jil Sander ($1.2 million MV) Taiwanese news anchor Hou also made an appearance at Jil Sander’s runway show on Wednesday afternoon, which was set against a backdrop of sweeping brown velvet curtains, a floral carpet, and stark lighting. Drawing inspiration from the hidden nightlife of Hong Kong and Vancouver, the collection featured squared-jacket suits in Italian and Japanese wool, alongside flowing georgette evening gowns adorned with knitted flowers. These designs reflect creative directors Lucie and Luke Meiers’ vision of characters shaped by a tender longing for beauty, glamour, and self-expression. Later in the evening, Jil Sander hosted an intimate dinner to preview its upcoming fragrance line, signaling the brand’s intent to expand into this niche market. Despite its understated approach to online promotion, which has limited its reach in China, the brand’s muted, sophisticated aesthetic aligns with its selective appeal. Tod’s ($5 million MV) This season, regular Tod’s ambassador Xiao Zhan was notably absent from the runway show, but the brand introduced an unexpected new face, Zhang Zetian, wife of JD.com founder Richard Liu, as its latest ambassador. While Zhang’s influence is smaller than Xiao Zhan’s – she boasts 1.6 million Weibo followers – her social status and alignment with Tod’s quiet luxury ethos make her a fitting representative for the brand’s strategy of courting the ultra-wealthy. Tod’s showcased Italian craftsmanship with a dramatic display of plaster hand sculptures by artist Lorenzo Quinn center stage, and 60 artisans meticulously working on the brand’s iconic Gammino loafers at the entrance. For Spring 2025, creative Director Matteo Tamburini drew inspiration from a Mediterranean coastal journey, using premium materials and expert craftsmanship to craft a relaxed yet timelessly elegant wardrobe for the modern Tod’s woman. Diesel ($1.7 million MV) Diesel’s Spring 2025 show embraced circularity and the beauty of waste, with a set constructed from 16.3 tons of denim scraps. The brand underscored its commitment to sustainability by repurposing denim waste for use in industries like automotive and insulation. The collection highlighted craftsmanship with standout pieces, including an artisanal coat made from leftover denim thread and distressed-effect sweatshirts, mini-dresses, and tanks created using devoré jacquard. Tailoring featured double loom jacquard, revealing intricate details when lasered. The entire set will be reused following the show, reinforcing Diesel’s eco-conscious approach. Recognizing this commitment, Diesel was awarded the Circular Economy Award by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation at the 2024 Sustainable Fashion Awards in Milan. Bottega Veneta If anything went viral this fashion week, it was Bottega Veneta’s quirky beanbag chairs, featuring 15 different animals — from dogs and pandas to whales. Show guests delighted in finding their own animal-themed beanbag and eagerly posted the experience online. This playful atmosphere extended to the collection, which redefined power dressing with a sense of chic awkwardness, exaggerated proportions, and fabric experimentation. Highlights included an all-leather ailette evening dress and merino wool woven into jacquards. Global brand ambassador Shu Qi, Olympic diver Guo Jingjing, and actor Yang Youning attended the “Wow!” show. However, Bottega Veneta missed an opportunity to maximize its exposure in the Chinese market by not leveraging its celebrity attendees to promote the event on social media.

Cai Xukun, Li Xian break Chinese internet at Milan Fashion Week

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Published September 24, 2024

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Cai Xukun, Li Xian break Chinese internet at Milan Fashion Week