Incubator to runway: How China nurtures fashion designers

China is birthing some of the most exciting and promising names in fashion today. From Jacques Wei to Sifān Chen, the mainland’s roster of talent is burgeoning; and the industry is taking note. This past year has seen the Shanghai Fashion Week calendar receive notably more airtime compared to previous seasons, while the red carpet stamp of approval from Western celebrities has brought homegrown names onto the international stage. Despite this, the mainland’s independent newcomers – some fresh out of fashion school – still face immense challenges, such as building a business in a precarious economy, timid consumer spending, and intensifying competition. "China's open and diverse local consumers and production manufacturers are, themselves, the greatest support for young designers in China," Jingwei Yin, founder of rising label Oude Waag tells Jing Daily. "China's fashion industry has only just begun to develop, and it will take more time to develop the creative level of talent alongside market demand." Consequently, many are relocating to fashion hubs like Paris and New York, where established support networks and clearer paths to commercial success offer more promising opportunities than those available at home. Their uprooting arrives at a time when a number of local initiatives aimed at supporting domestic indie designers, such as the Yu Prize and Lane Crawford’s Creative Call Out, have dwindled. For those opting to stay on home soil, what support systems are out there to help designers keep their businesses afloat today? Labelhood Widely recognized as China’s foremost fashion incubator for fledgling talent, Labelhood – founded by entrepreneur Tasha Liu in 2016 – is behind the success of myriad homegrown designers, including Xander Zhou, Pronounce’s Yushan Li, Mark Gong, and Angel Chen. The multi-tiered organization stands alone in its mission to uplift homegrown talent via an incubator-slash-retailer concept. Alongside offering business guidance and connecting designers to industry insiders, Labelhood enables creatives to get that all important leg up in the industry via its Lab showroom (established in 2019), a sub-calendar at Shanghai Fashion Week, and stocking their collections in one of its five stores across the country. It also hosts a regular arts and culture festival – its 17th season was hosted earlier this year – to exhibit its roster of designers. The launch pad has helped take China’s talent not just to the fore of the mainland’s fashion industry, but also the West’s, with the likes of Shushu Tong and Jacques Wei grabbing a spot on international fashion week calendars thanks to Labelhood’s global influence. Youtopia Launched in 2019 under the Labelhood banner, incubation project Youtopia aims to bring China’s young students – some in high school – into the heart of the fashion industry to learn the ins and outs of the trade. The Youtopia division, the first youth fashion community to launch in China, has previously worked alongside brands including Converse – the duo hosted three editions of its “Created by You" campaign, inviting young designers to reimagine skate culture through clothing – and sustainable label R.I.S.E. The incubator has also spotlighted the work of early stage brands such as Toile, Anno Mundi, Fivekoh, Momonary, and Sorgenti. Yu Prize Founded by entrepreneur Wendy Yu in 2020, the Yu Prize is an award established to support and recognize emerging Chinese fashion designers, alongside promoting innovation and creativity within China’s fashion industry. It provides financial grants, mentorship, and opportunities for international exposure to help young designers develop their brands and leverage their chances at commercial success. Previous winners of the prize include Alex Po and Derek Cheng of gender neutral label Ponder.er and Chenpeng, respectively. The Yu Prize quickly gained prominence as a prestigious platform for nurturing new talent in Chinese fashion, but it has been on pause since 2022. Ontimeshow One of China’s most prominent fashion trade shows, Ontimeshow provides a platform for emerging and established designers to showcase their collections to industry professionals, including buyers, retailers, and media. Held twice a year in Shanghai, Ontimeshow has become a key event in the Chinese fashion calendar, offering designers exposure and networking opportunities. It also plays a crucial role in promoting Chinese fashion talent and connecting them with both domestic and international markets. RoomRoom, a curated space within the Ontimeshow trade event, also aims to highlight select emerging designers and brands in a more intimate and targeted environment. In addition to providing long-term business development support, RoomRoom offers investment and financing consultancy to some of the brands on the Ontimeshow platform. Lane Crawford Creative Call Out Introduced by luxury omni-channel retailer Lane Crawford in 2015, the Lane Crawford Creative Call Out initiative was built to help identify and nurture new talent in fashion, art, and design by providing them with opportunities to showcase their work, gain industry exposure, and receive mentorship from industry professionals. Participants in the Creative Call Out are invited to submit their portfolios and collections for evaluation, with selected creatives rewarded with the chance to collaborate with Lane Crawford and potentially see their work featured in Lane Crawford stores and online platforms. Previous winners include Susan Fang and Siying Qu and Haoran Li's Private Policy. Tube Showroom China’s Tube Showroom, founded in 2015, is a platform dedicated to promoting and supporting the mainland’s emerging creatives. It operates as a multi-brand showroom, providing young and innovative designers with a space to showcase their collections to buyers, media, and industry professionals. Alongside its dedicated space, the initiative offers a range of services including sales, marketing, and brand development to help bridge the gap between new talent and the broader fashion market. It also provides brands with services including marketing and public relations, designed to help smaller indie labels gain commercial opportunities in the highly competitive sector. Shanghai Fashion Designer Association Finally, the Shanghai Fashion Designer Association (SFDA) was a pivotal force in bolstering Shanghai’s burgeoning fashion scene. While currently dormant, the initiative is set to be revived this year, in line with the appointment of Shanghai Fashion Week's Madame Lv as executive vice chairman. The organization previously offered a comprehensive platform for homegrown designers to network, collaborate, and showcase their work, alongside its educational programs, workshops, and seminars designed to help emerging talent stay on the pulse of industry trends and enhance their skills. It recently partnered with social app Xiaohongshu to further bolster its cultural influence. The platform has also began working with manufacturers, such as Chenfeng Group, to help elevate the global profile of China's fashion scene and play its part in the supply chain.

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Incubator to runway: How China nurtures fashion designers