Is China overlooking London Fashion Week in 2024?

What happened For a while now, London’s position as one of the major fashion week events has been subject to speculation among industry whisperers. Its schedule has been reduced to just 72 brands this season from 129 brands in 2022. That being said, the Spring/Summer 2025 schedule was invigorated by the rise of younger cult brands, such as Kanye West-championed Mowalola, Skepta’s Mains label, and Aaron Esh. The biggest shows on the schedule comprise the likes of Simone Rocha, JW Anderson, Erdem, Richard Quinn, and Burberry. However, the prospect of sharing the spotlight with the UK’s biggest names has not prevented several major Chinese designers from moving on from London Fashion Week. For instance, collab-queen Susan Fang has moved to Milan Fashion Week as the next “Supported by Dolce & Gabbana” designer, while experimental menswear brand Pronounce has also moved to Milan, and one of China’s spearheading new era talents Feng Chen Wang has been showing in Paris since the Spring 2023 season. Among the 48 catwalk shows and 17 presentations on this iteration’s schedule, China’s presence comprises Chet Lo, Yuhan Wang, Huishan Zhang, and Mithridate. Spring Summer 2025’s events also mark Chinese actor and model Hu Bing's 10th year as the British Fashion Council’s (BFC) London Fashion Week (LFW) Ambassador to China. To mark the milestone, he is introducing “Hu Bing Selects,” a new initiative aimed at showcasing Chinese design talent internationally, while also fostering stronger connections between the BFC and China’s fashion industry. As part of this initiative, Chinese brand founded by Tien Lu and Fang Fang, Consistence will present its collection at the BFC Newgen space, under the “Hu Bing Selects” program, supported by Chinese international trading company Botao in collaboration with phone manufacturer Oppo. However, tonight’s opening H&M London event in collaboration with Charli XCX at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park arena is sure to make waves across Chinese social media – especially after the “Brat Summer” frenzy on Xiaohongshu – with global press flying in for the event. The Jing Take Back in 2022, Jing Daily delved into how LFW was not catering to China. Paris-based influencer and fashion editor Jiawa Liu said, “Perhaps the feeling in the room is that London Fashion Week is, at its core, a domestic-facing format intended to court British and European press and buyers, while brands seeking to gain Chinese market share are concentrating elsewhere – such as investing in Chinese social platforms.” In London, designers who are part of the BFC’s Newgen or Fashion East programs, or the LVMH Prize receive financial support, whereas for others, maintaining a presence is tricky. This year, Paris has hosted a stellar lineup of Chinese talent, from Didu and Ruibuilt, to Uma Wang and Shiatzy Chen. That said, there are some real gems at LFW: A-lister-loved Mithridate boasts a solid following in the mainland, with its hashtag at 3.1 million views on Xiaohongshu. Given China’s economic woes and an apparent slight disconnect between China brand teams and global, these are challenging times for Chinese designers, and their presence at LFW is not as illustrious as it has been in the past. So far, #Londonfashionweek2024 has 353,200 reads on Xiaohongshu. However, the talent on show is strong, and Hu’s continued involvement shows how the British Fashion Council values its relations with the Chinese market. Furthermore, Chinese retail powerhouse JD.com, Inc. has been announced as the Official Asian Online Retail Partner of London Fashion Week September 2024. The partnership's goal is to strengthen the presence of British and international fashion brands in the Chinese market while establishing a global platform for Chinese and Asian designers. The Jingdong Fashion "RED JOURNEY" runway will showcase collections from four brands: Hazzys, Ellassay, Marisfrolg, and Pure Tea. Held at Somerset House, the show is inspired by Jingdong's iconic red, symbolizing its commitment to creativity and innovation. Additionally, from September 9th to October 3rd, JD.com, Inc. will host a special London Fashion Week page on its app, bringing international fashion to its 600 million users. Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council said in a statement, "This partnership provides our emerging designers and brands with a platform that facilitates smoother collaborations across borders but also amplifies their exposure in the crucial Chinese market. We look forward to seeing what the partnership has in store and to working together to encourage continued collaboration between the UK and Chinese markets.” The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

Is China overlooking London Fashion Week in 2024?

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Published September 12, 2024

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Is China overlooking London Fashion Week in 2024?