Chinese Gen Z consumer trends 2025: Kawaii, pets & self-gifting

As the eldest Gen Zers enter their late 20s, the demographic is becoming a powerful force in luxury consumption. Born between 1997 and 2012, this cohort comprises around 15% of China’s population. With China contributing 20% to 25% of the global luxury market, according to Boston Consulting Group, brands need to know how to target Chinese Gen Z. Recognized overseas as the Chinese Instagram, Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) offers an insight into the world of local youth culture. Users post glimpses of their consumption patterns, from iterations of style subcultures like “indie sleaze” and the leopard-print-clad “mob wife” aesthetic, to aspirational lifestyles such as fashionable cycling communities and curated bedtime routines. Drawing on Xiaohongshu research and expert insights, here are the key characteristics that are defining Chinese Gen Z in 2025. 1. The great revolt One trending topic across domestic social media channels is how Gen Z is ditching the traditions of their predecessors. Marriage registrations fell to 6.1 million last year, a 20.5% decline from the year before, marking the lowest number recorded since tracking began in 1980, according to data from China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs More and more young people are avoiding marriage and having children, which is leading to an upsurge of spending on self-gifting, as well as investment in travel not homes: a Q4 2024 survey by HSBC found that almost 75% of China’s Gen Z workforce identifies travel as the main incentive of work Along with more vacations and treating themselves, Gen Z consumers are also looking to drive growth of the pet economy. Both Adidas Originals and Moynat have released viral pet collections for China over the past month alone. Whether a result of increased loneliness, or a diversion from traditions, cuddly companions are thriving among Chinese Gen Z. Editor-in-chief of Pop Mart’s youth-focused play/GROUND Magazine, Greg Grigorian attributes the youth-fueled Labubu craze to an openness to these new forms of companionship. “Once you bond with a particular character, it’s almost like having a pet,” he tells Jing Daily. “Each one has its own backstory and personality, and once you get deep into the lore, it really starts to feel like a friend. Some people even make custom outfits for their Labubus or take them to cafes and movie theaters — it’s about spending time with something that brings you joy.” 2. Kawaii culture While “quiet luxury” has held sway over global fashion in recent years, there is a thriving antidote present among Chinese Gen Z: the resurrection of “kawaii.” The maximalist, vibrant Japanese “cuteness” movement is prominent across Xiahongshu — #kawaii has 37 million reads on the platform. “You know how [Fruits magazine founder] Shoichi Auoki said he stopped publishing Fruits because there were no more cool kids? I feel like all of those kids are in China right now. You see the wildest outfits, thrifting is booming,” Grigorian says. Layered in lace, neon hues, faux fur, fluffy teddy bear key charms, and sugary pinks, the “kawaii” aesthetic is trending. Some bloggers are even publishing photos in their pastel-themed, nostalgic bedrooms that mirror their outfits. Aligning with this trend was the Shanghai Hello Kitty x Tbh pop-up retail collaboration earlier this month, which was kitted out with a leopard-print exterior. It went viral as a backdrop of choice for Gen Z’s “kawaii” looks. “Unlike Europe, where fashion rules are old and rigid, in China there’s a lot of remixing going on. Gen Z is fully romanticizing this Fruits era they kind of glazed over, but never actually lived through. Literally every 20-something I know owns a CCD camera,” says Grigorian. There is a confident embrace of more daring clothes in China, as fashion designer Samuel Ross told Jing Daily in an exclusive interview: “I think there’s such a great sensibility there; such an openness to new ideas in fashion. China really embraces that. I’ve always felt that the purer the design, the more likely it is to be understood in China.” Perhaps “kawaii” fashion is the new take on Asian pride, following on from neo-Chinese style. PR expert at Boh Project, Miranda Huang predicted, “[neo-Chinese style] has been quite popular over the past two years, but people will start to feel fatigue.” 3. Chronically online Chinese Gen Z is the most digitized luxury consumer demographic, yet. Beyond the internet, the majority of this cohort has seldom used physical Chinese money before: the nation’s shift toward a cashless society started in the noughties when Alipay was launched (2004). By 2013, Tencent had launched WeChat Pay. Grigorian says that his team once challenged a Gen Z colleague to spend the entire day without internet. “Even convincing her to do it was a struggle. She was so shocked when we handed her cash — she spent a good five minutes examining the bills because she hadn’t seen any in years,” he says. “By the end of the day, she said it felt like she had completely disappeared from society without internet access.” From e-commerce integration across each social media platform, to hyper-convenient customer service across China, the digital revolution is a key shared experience among this newer cohort. Its members want straightforward phygital retail experiences that are similar to gamification. 4. The great outdoors Consumers are taking their Labubus to movie theaters, vibrant pop-up stores are soaring in popularity, and consumers are posting their outfit looks under the Xiaohongshu hashtag #airportphotography, which now has 114.1 million views. The common thread? Chinese Gen Zers crave real-life experiences in response to digital saturation. “The youngest person on our team complains about her phone all the time,” says Shanghai-based Grigorian. “She says it’s boring and that she’s tired of scrolling. And I think that really reflects a growing sentiment among young people right now.” For Chinese Gen Z, who grew up with digitization as an everyday reality rather than a novelty, physical experiences now represent a coveted form of escapism — a trend luxury brands must actively embrace. However, these in-real-life experiences must captivate Chinese Gen Z with exceptional execution. Luxury brands now require sophisticated strategies to draw digital natives offline — like Pop Mart’s play/GROUND Magazine hosting its debut issue launch at a Beijing doughnut shop, Longchamp creating a lush garden installation in Shenzhen last month, or Puma constructing a massive racecar at its F1 pop-up on Shanghai’s West Bund in March. Young people in China are so used to seeing otherworldly imagery online that their offline experiences need to reflect the same cartoonish artistry to attract their attention. In an era when digital immersion meets rebellion (in both aesthetic and generational forms), China’s Gen Z is redefining luxury consumption on its own curated terms. For brands hoping to resonate, this means crafting experiences as vivid and emotionally intelligent as the consumers themselves.

What’s defining Chinese Gen Z in 2025?

Upgrade to Pro

Sectors

Insights

Company

What’s defining Chinese Gen Z in 2025?