Forbes Honors Under-30s Shaking Up China’s Retail Market

In a market driven by the changing tastes of the millennial generation, China’s digital, retail, tech, and marketing industries are also being shaped by a large number of young leaders with unique visions. The Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List 2018 named 59 of them in 10 categories, putting China in second place, behind India, in its number of representatives. We’ve published the whole list of mainland Chinese entrepreneurs (and one from Taiwan) below in case you missed it, but first, here are the individuals making major contributions to China’s luxury, fashion, and e-commerce industries. Chen Peng and Snow Xue Gao, 26, Fashion Designers China’s independent fashion scene has been gaining worldwide recognition, propelled by young designers like Chen Peng and Snow Xue Gao, both Forbes honorees who happen to have both been showing off their work at New York Fashion Week and dressing Rihanna. Gao, a Parsons grad, presented her collection at NYFW just a year after launching her East meets West womenswear brand, and not long after, opened a studio in Manhattan. Peng’s one-size-fits-all outerwear is stocked in Dover Street Market and at Opening Ceremony. Tao Liang (aka Mr. Bags), 25, Blogger The WeChat blogger has grown from being a go-to expert on luxury handbags to a key asset for brands looking to grow their Chinese audience and sales. Forbes recognized Mr. Bags for selling out a capsule collection with Givenchy on WeChat in mere minutes, but more recently he has delved into the design world, working with Tod’s on a 200-piece capsule, as well as teaming up with Longchamp to create a personalized collection just in time for the Year of the Dog. John Yuyi, 27, Artist Based in Taiwan, John is worthy of a mention for her contribution to how social media, art, and luxury have come together in the past year to inspire the growing segment of young, digitally savvy consumers. John, whose Taiwanese surname is Chiang, is the first Taiwanese-born artist recruited by Gucci. She's been swept up in a viral Instagram campaign featuring a photo of her face covered in Gucci temporary tattoos. The meme-themed artwork was commissioned for the launch of Gucci’s new watch collection Le Marché des Merveilles. Lin Hai, 29, Liu Jieyi, 28, Cofounders of Particle Fever Luxury fashion is coming face to face with sportswear in both the West and in China as consumers’ lifestyles increasingly emphasize fitness and comfort. While that has resulted in numerous collaborations between high-end designers and sportswear labels, some activewear brands have been experimenting with innovation and creativity to attract the discerning customer and stand out from the big labels. One such pioneering brand in China is Particle Fever, whose knack for blending functional ingenuity with trendy design and artistic branding has made them a key player in the evolution of athleisure in the Chinese market. Tang Ling, 23, CEO Ink Labs Foundation Tang’s work is a reminder of the possibilities blockchain might have for the future of cracking down on counterfeit goods. Singapore-based Ink Labs Foundation serves to provide blockchain solutions for protecting intellectual property in the cultural and creative industries. Meanwhile, Alibaba and Tencent have been making investments in blockchain technology for various applications, including fin-tech and cross-border e-commerce. Su Chunzi, 28, Executive Vice President, Partner, FLOWERPLUS As their incomes rise, Chinese consumers are beginning to move beyond a product-focused luxury lifestyle and are making big investments in upgrading their life at home, taking cues from Japan and the West to learn the arts of floral arrangement and tablescaping. Su Chunzi is just one of the figures disrupting the growing floral business in China, creating an online platform for weekly flower deliveries that are a bit more affordable than the ballooning prices shoppers would find at brick and mortar stores. China’s first-tier cities have seen an increasing number of floral retailers aimed at high-end customers, such as The Beast and RoseOnly. Michael Wang, 28, Cofounder, YCloset and Cordelia Xiao, 29, Cofounder Xiaolusenlin Abox (DeerForest) E-commerce is changing the way people shop, paving the way for trends like clothes sharing and online trunk shows. Even in China, where the e-tail giants are making it easier for consumers to access an increasing range of international designers at a variety of price points, clothing rental startups are recognizing that shoppers want to stay on top of the quickly shifting trends and need stylish everyday wear that’s going to live up to the occasion, whether it’s a night out or an office meeting. Chinese-born clothing rental platforms like Alibaba-backed YCloset and Abox (which focuses on childrenswear)—are giving consumers the flexibility to trial new brands and styles at a fraction of the cost of owning a product, saving them more money for their high-end bags or watches. The full list of Chinese individuals named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List 2018 is included below. The Arts Chen Peng, 26, Fashion designer Snow Xue Gao, 26, Fashion designer John Yuyi (Taiwan), 27, Artist Liang Tao, 25, Blogger Consumer Technology Wen Liu 28, Zhang Yibo 29, Founders of Illume Research Hong Zhenye, 25, Founder of Ulandian Leng Xiaokun, 25, China, Founder of Leju Robotics Eric Tao, 27, Founder of Holla Tan Ce, 27, CEO of Apin Sheng Jiarui, 26, Founder of MiniUS Chen Jingshu, 29, Chen Yue (Richard), 28, Ye Hanzhong, (Ayden), Cofounders of VeeR VR Zhu Xiaoxiao, 26, CEO of FitTime Social Entreprenuers Sam Waldo, 30, Cofounder of Mantra Eyewear Li Tianchi, 27, Sun Yue 28, Cofounders of Shenzhen Dianmao technology company limited Healthcare & Science Chen Kuan, 29, Cofounder of Infervision Dong Lin, 28, CEO of Sirui Jiankang Mingzhen Liu, 27, Professor at University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Dong Leiting, 30, Professor Assistant Dean at Beihang University Retail & E-Commerce Li Xiaoya, 30, Cofounder of Huishoubao Lin Hai, 29, Liu Jieyi, 28, Cofounders of Particle Fever Su Chunzi, 28, Executive Vice President, Partner at FLOWERPLUS Michael Wang, 28, Cofounder of YCloset Cordelia Xiao, 29, Cofounder of Xiaolusenlin Abox (DeerForest) Xu Xinming, 28, CEO of Shi Lili Media, Marketing & Advertising Jenny Guo, 27, Cofounder of LumiereVR Ji Fangyuan, 29, Founder of Ividea Tang Ling, 23, CEO of Ink Labs Foundation Tao Weihua, 28, Founder of Chaping Li Hu, 28, Writer Anni Chen, 25, Founder of Kuaikan Comic Chen Cong, 28, Founder of Dongquidi Enterprise Technology Chen Haoliang, 28, Cofounder of SpeakIn Technologies Chen Zhen, 24, Founder of Qfeeltech Feng Zongliang, 29, Partner at MetroDataTech Jing Tianwei, 28, Cofounder of Ruff Internet of Things Operating System Li Ping, 28, Cofounder of NewBornTown Kong Miao, 27, Founder of ZHUGEIO Wang Dong, 27, Xu Huan, 28, Cofounders of Qimai Tech Ren Shaoqing, 30, Cofounder of Momenta Orion Zhao, 26, Cofounder of MokaHR Zeng Yuan, 26, Cofounder of VZoom Credit Yang Fan, 28, Founder of MiniVision Chang Le, 29, Cofounder of SoundAI Technology Deng Yaohuan, 29, CEO of Dorabot Inc Zhao Yiyang, 30, Cofounder of Unisound Finance & Venture Capital Li Yao, 29, Partner at Tsing Ventures Zhang Chenxu, 29, Senior Investment Manager at Peakview Capital Yang Fan, 30, Founder of Finup Fintech Group Bobby Bao, 29, Cofounder of Monaco Song Yu, 29, Founder of CEC Data Capital William Zhao, 28, Investment Vice President of Bertelsmann Asia Investments Hugo Chan and Huang Wei Ting, 29, Cofounders of Kingsferry Capital Industry, Manufacturing, & Energy Dana (Xiaoxiao) Hou, 25, Cofounder of FarmFriend Inc Liu Yifeng, 24, Founder of Beijing Sunlectric Co., Ltd Qiu Chunchao, 27, Founder of Suteng Innovation Technology Shi Xiaogang, 27, Founder of Beijing Xloong Technologies Tang Bowei, 28, Founder of Beijing Ewaybot Technology Entertainment & Sports Zhou Qi, 22, Athlete Basketball Emily Song, 27, Business Development Executive for Creative Artists Agency Hu Ranran, 18, Filmmaker

Forbes Honors Under-30s Shaking Up China’s Retail Market

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Published April 18, 2018

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Forbes Honors Under-30s Shaking Up China’s Retail Market