Susan Fang debuts Victoria’s Secret lingerie, plus more from LFW

London Fashion Week’s Fall 2024 schedule of shows came to a close on Monday evening with Burberry’s star-studded finale. Over the five-day affair, the array of Chinese designers did not disappoint with major household name brand collaborations, from Crocs to Victoria’s Secret. Here is our verdict on China’s collab highlights at LFW. Subscribe here to receive this news via the Collabs & Drops newsletter every Tuesday. Susan Fang x Victoria’s Secret Details: Lingerie and loungewear collection for the Chinese market Social context: Susan Fang has 105,000 fans on Weibo and the hashtag #SusanFang has 3.1 million reads on Xiaohongshu. Verdict: The collection’s concept zeroed in on what “home” means to everyone, referencing sea creatures and proposing an inclusive setting that was a useful backdrop for Victoria’s Secret, a brand that has struggled with controversies in the past, to showcase a collaboration. Following on from a 2023 collaboration with Rui, Susan Fang x Victoria’s Secret shows how the lingerie name is taking a more high fashion route in mainland China and connecting with young Gen Zers who are daring in their style choices. Susan Fang is gaining more recognition in the British capital for being a fixture on the schedule, and has a growing fanbase in the mainland, which will only be fueled by this tie-up with a mainstream brand. Simone Rocha x Crocs Details: Four Crocs silhouettes, Fall 2024 Social context: #SimoneRocha has 5.324 million views on Weibo and on Xiaohongshu, #SimoneRocha has 14.6 million. Verdict: Becoming a high fashion fixture over the past few years, Crocs have graced Balenciaga, Feng Chen Wang, and Simone Rocha runways. This is the second outing with the Chinese-Irish designer, bringing her trademark maximalist femininity to the household name. In the same week as Simone Rocha’s Fall 2024 show, which included looks accessorized with Crocs, the brand reported surging revenue in 2023. It grew 11.5 percent year on year to $4 billion. Crocs’ collaboration strategy is a core part of this growth, tapping various subcultures, consumer categories, and consistently providing fresh sources of creativity. As with many independent designers, Simone Rocha follows a collaborative business strategy to attain a more mainstream consumer reach. It has collaborated with H&M, and most recently Jean Paul Gaultier. Mithridate x Roker Details: Footwear collection, Fall 2024 Social context: Mithridate has 144,000 fans on Weibo, and on Xiaohongshu #Mithridate has 2 million views. Verdict: Entering product categories via a player that is already winning in the space is usually a failsafe collaboration strategy, as showcased by Mithridate x Roker. The Chinese brand's signature moths and stars are seen on the British footwear brand’s trademark silhouettes. Roker also collaborated with Masha Popova and Harris Reed for the LFW Fall 2024 season of shows, reflecting how versatile footwear can provide a blank slate for various forms of creativity – plus, three slots on schedule is impressive for a brand that didn’t have its own solo show. A brand founded in 2018, Mithridate is not one of the blockbuster names on the schedule, despite it having a star-studded fanbase including the likes of Gigi Hadid, David Tennant, Jenna Coleman and other A-listers. Therefore, collaborations could boost the brand financially, while extending its consumer base to Roker fans, too.

Sectors

Insights

Company

Susan Fang debuts Victoria’s Secret lingerie, plus more from LFW