How brands can tap the booming Chinese ‘old money style’

This story was translated from a Chinese article published on Jing Daily’s WeChat channel. The “new Chinese style” fashion craze has exploded on Chinese social media over the past two years, with young generations mixing traditional culture and contemporary styling. Brands both local and global are taking note. In 2023, the number of posts related to “new Chinese style” on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) increased more than 390 percent year on year, according to analytics platform Qiangua. Celebrities wearing their interpretation of the style during the recent Spring Festival increased exposure, with the hashtag becoming a leading trend on Weibo. A sub-category of the style has also emerged as luxury consumers explore fine fabrics and craftsmanship rooted in Chinese culture, giving rise to the “Chinese old money style.” The growing popularity of “Chinese old money style” not only offers a chance to preserve traditional Chinese crafts, but is also an opportunity for savvy fashion and lifestyle brands to elevate their designs for high-end consumers. Rise of ‘Chinese old money style’ Like its “old money” counterpart in the West, the Chinese style symbolizes an appreciation of historical pedigree and refined taste (often referred to as “noble temperament” in China). While retaining some traditional design elements, the luxury of the style is mainly manifested in the use of traditional craftsmanship and textiles. In a post on Xiaohongshu, fashion blogger Ada listed several representative garments, including buttoned jackets, ink-printed skirts, horse-face skirts and qipaos. Classic elements include knot buttons, Mandarin collars, embroidery and gambiered Canton gauze. Gu Xiaosi, a practitioner of heritage techniques and author of Huaxia Wardrobe, tells Jing Daily: “‘Chinese old money style’ incorporates many traditional fabrics of intangible cultural heritage, such as Song brocade and Zhangzhou velvet satin.” Founder of Chinese luxury fashion and embroidery brand Tangxindan, Xie Yige, says the popularity of these trending Chinese styles has brought unprecedented attention to her brand. The alignment of “Chinese old money style” with Tangxindan’s design ethos has also directly boosted the brand’s revenue and the popularity of its best-selling products. Cultural confidence Last year, actress Yang Mi posted a birthday photo on Weibo of her wearing a Song brocade top and jade jewelry, sparking discussion among netizens about her fusion of Oriental charm and luxury attire. Since then, Yang has appeared in this fusion style multiple times on different occasions. Other Chinese actresses, such as Zhao Liying, Xu Jiao and Zhao Lusi, are also loyal supporters of “new Chinese style,” igniting waves of imitation among their millions of followers. Chinese actresses, such as Yang Mi, Zhao Liying, Xu Jiao and Zhao Lusi are also loyal supporters of “New Chinese Style”. According to Xie, the popularity of the “new Chinese style” indirectly reflects consumers’ cultural confidence and a shift in preferences toward Chinese aesthetics. “They no longer pursue flamboyance and grandeur, but value the ethereal and serene aesthetic realm,” adds Xie. The Chinese government’s protection and promotion of the country’s intangible cultural heritage have helped raise awareness of traditional craftsmanship. Crafts such as Suzhou embroidery, Beijing embroidery and Yun brocade are being rejuvenated by modern designers. These handicrafts not only demonstrate superb skills, but also carry profound cultural connotations, satisfying young consumers’ demands for personalization and cultural identity. For luxury buyers, the “Chinese old money style” represents more diversified choices when purchasing high-end brands. “Buying high-end Chinese brands offers high value for money. [Consumers] enjoy superior craftsmanship and gain cultural confidence and identity recognition. Moreover, from tailoring to color, Chinese style suits Asian skin tones and facial features, resulting in better effects when worn," says Gu. Looking ahead, Xie believes that consumers have a strong desire and expectation for high-end brands to represent traditional Chinese culture. Sashaying into high-end fashion The rise of the “Chinese old money style” is an opportunity for homegrown Chinese brands that harness tradition and innovation to push into the high-end market. Fashion brand M Essential, founded by Ma Kai, is one such success story. Bringing a contemporary twist to classic Oriental aesthetics and using high-quality materials such as raw silk, brocade, yarn and velvet, the brand’s intricately crafted luxury pieces have become synonymous with the “Chinese old money style.” Uma Wang and Samuel Gui Yang are other examples of local brands that have transformed Chinese aesthetics from form to spirit, and sashayed into the realms of high-end fashion. Some brands choose to raise their cultural currency by collaborating with intangible cultural heritage projects or practitioners. Jinyin caixiu – a type of hand-sewn embroidery stitched with gold and silver thread – is a national-level intangible cultural practice from the Chinese city of Ningbo with a history of over 1,400 years. To promote this craft, Tangxindan collaborated with specialist local embroiderers to elevate haute couture pieces with uniquely luxurious details. Despite its surging popularity, heritage-inspired Chinese styles do not yet dominate the mainstream consumer market, instead exhibiting clear seasonal characteristics often linked to traditional festivals like Chinese New Year. “How to further normalize the style remains one of the obstacles to its promotion,” says Xie. The rise of these styles nevertheless reflects the cultural confidence of China’s young generations and demonstrates the strength of Chinese design globally. China’s traditional craftsmanship is a treasure of the world’s cultural heritage, to be appreciated universally like the forms of craftsmanship promoted by Western luxury brands. Loewe, for example, has tapped Chinese craftsmanship and artisans, such as heritage ceramics and jade carvers, for special release products in the market. Similarly, Marni did a Miao-inspired capsule collection in 2021 after creative director Fransisco Risso spent one week visiting the Miao minority in Guizhou. Dior similarly tapped the guochao trend for menswear for its Fall/Winter 2021 collection. With sustained global attention on China’s market and culture, “Chinese old money style” is poised to continue growing in the future, further propelling local brands towards the global stage, as well as enhancing global luxury brand’s cultural kudos and offerings.

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How brands can tap the booming Chinese ‘old money style’