I.am.gia, Sculptor: Y2K brands dominate Xiaohongshu trends

A handful of independent labels are steering fashion trends among Gen Z in China. Through a distinctive, cyberpunk-inflected Y2K aesthetic, they’ve captured young consumers’ attention — and some don’t yet sell in the country at all. For global fashion brands, engagement on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), has become one of the clearest indicators of cultural relevance among Chinese Gen Z. This new generation of labels has built devoted communities there through user-generated content. Australian brand I.am.gia is becoming a trailblazer in the realm, with the hashtag #iamgia at more than 37 million views on Xiaohongshu — that’s despite the brand having no major Chinese celebrity endorsement or physical presence in mainland China, aside from shipping there via their direct-to-consumer website. Chinese stars have been photographed wearing the brand’s Y2K ensembles, though, including the likes of actresses Yang Mi, Zhang Xinyu, and Xu Lu. Celebrity exposure further reinforces that demand, but not necessarily in the same way it does in Western markets. China’s star stylist mindset “I.am.gia is also worn by many Chinese celebrities, which further fuels demand and encourages their audiences to seek out the brand,” Laura Darmon, founder of Envision and buying director at ENG, says. “Overseas celebrities tend to care a lot about brand positioning, whereas Chinese celebrities are much more flexible in how they dress. Stylists in Asia don’t hesitate to pull pieces based on fit and style rather than strict positioning, which is actually very beneficial for brands, as their products are constantly seen on K-pop and Chinese celebrities, massively influencing their audiences.” Similar momentum can be seen with fellow Australian brand Realisation Par, whose hashtag has hit 68 million impressions, though it has also been selling on Tmall since 2019, where it has 486,000 followers. South Korean label Sculptor follows a similar more-is-more, sultry, and nostalgic aesthetic, and has generated 46.1 million impressions, while Jaded London has surpassed 62.8 million. Rather than reflecting the scale of these businesses, those numbers illustrate the types of brands resonating with China’s youngest fashionistas — labels whose identities are built around aesthetics, and communities. On Xiaohongshu, I.am.gia is frequently featured in outfit inspiration posts alongside celebrity styling, influencer wardrobes and mood boards centred around Y2K dressing, cyber-inspired silhouettes and the “model off-duty” look. International celebrities including Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner have all worn the brand, while Blackpink’s Jennie has further increased its visibility among Asian audiences — she is often photographed wearing looks from the brand. Those specifically are regularly reposted and recreated by Chinese creators, allowing the brand to circulate organically without relying on traditional advertising. Cyberpunk Y3K aesthetic Its popularity also reflects the continued strength of millennium-inspired fashion on Chinese social media. While many Western markets have begun moving beyond Y2K, the aesthetic continues to resonate with China’s Gen Z consumers. On Xiaohongshu, hashtags linked to the trend continue to generate enormous engagement: #freezeframe2000s has amassed 1.1 billion impressions, while #electronicy3k has reached 647.2 million. Meanwhile, #flashbacktothemillenium has generated 242.5 million impressions, #90sretrohip has attracted 129.5 million, and #milleniumhotgirlstyle has recorded 18.5 million. Together, these fashion inspiration hashtags point to a distinctly Asian interpretation of Y2K, merging cyberpunk influences, technology-inspired styling and kawaii streetwear into an aesthetic that continues to shape fashion discovery on the platform. For Darmon, the appeal extends beyond aesthetics alone. “One of the main reasons these brands are performing so well is their relentless focus on content creation,” she says. “Another key factor is that they’re not easily accessible, which makes them even more desirable.” That approach stands in contrast to the seasonal marketing calendars still favoured by many established fashion houses. Instead of concentrating attention around one or two campaigns each year, brands like I.am.gia maintain a constant presence through new imagery, styling inspiration and social media content that continuously feeds discovery on platforms like Xiaohongshu. “The brand consistently produces fresh content [on its Western social platforms] keeping its audience engaged at all times,” Darmon says. “Traditional brands typically launch one or two campaigns per year, followed by editorial placements, whereas these newer brands maintain a constant stream of social media content that keeps the conversation alive.” The strategy aligns closely with how younger Chinese consumers increasingly interact with fashion online. “China’s younger generation spends most of its time on social media,” Darmon says. “At the same time, fast fashion continues to grow because consumers want pieces that are affordable and easy to rotate as they constantly need fresh content. This also strongly appeals to KOLs, whose personal style aligns perfectly with this type of aesthetic.” The result is a self-reinforcing ecosystem in which creators introduce new styling cues, consumers reinterpret and amplify them through their own content, and brands sustain visibility through a continuous cycle of user-generated engagement rather than relying solely on traditional marketing campaigns. Accessibility also plays an unexpected role in building desirability. Although I.am.gia has generated significant awareness in China, many consumers continue to purchase the brand through daigou shoppers or cross-border channels. Demand has also created an active resale market, while Taobao listings for similar products demonstrate how quickly popular silhouettes circulate across China's fashion ecosystem. “At the moment, many daigou purchase the brand abroad and ship it to customers in China,” Darmon says. “The fact that it's difficult to access only increases its desirability. The brand is everywhere on social media despite having almost no offline presence, creating a strong sense of exclusivity and hype.” The same dynamics are benefiting other emerging labels. Darmon points to Sculptor, whose collegiate streetwear aesthetic has gained significant traction among Chinese consumers, alongside Jaded London, which has already expanded its presence through pop-up activations and an official Xiaohongshu account. Taken together, these brands highlight an increasingly important shift in China's fashion landscape. Visibility on Xiaohongshu is no longer determined by marketing budgets or retail footprints, but by a brand’s ability to create a distinctive aesthetic that users want to reference, recreate and share. For Gen Z consumers, fashion discovery has become inseparable from content consumption — and the brands generating the strongest engagement are often those that understand social platforms not simply as marketing channels, but as the primary stage on which cultural relevance is built.

I.am.gia, Sculptor: Y2K brands dominate Xiaohongshu trends

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I.am.gia, Sculptor: Y2K brands dominate Xiaohongshu trends

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