Shanghai fashion week: a shift from reaction to definition
Shanghai Fashion Week FW26 concluded with a quiet confidence, capped by a runway show from Maison Margiela’s Glenn Martens that resonated far beyond the immediate buzz. While the macroeconomic climate remains delicate, a palpable sense of forward momentum permeated the week – not a frantic rebound, but a deliberate consolidation, signaling a maturing market and a re-evaluation of its place on the global stage.
Redefining femininity: beyond the 'clean fit' era
The prevailing mood is a distinct move away from the minimalist “clean fit” aesthetic that has largely defined recent seasons. This wasn’t merely a stylistic whim; the rise of “clean fit” in China was intrinsically linked to a period of economic caution and the influence of global luxury’s understated codes, amplified by the algorithmic trends of platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin. But the homogeneity has begun to feel restrictive. As Yeli Gu, founder of Ontimeshow, noted, a hunger for self-expression is reasserting itself, with femininity, romanticism, and emotional texture returning to the forefront of design language. Marine Humeau, merchandising manager at Printemps, confirms this international trend, observing that “the desire for authenticity, femininity and romanticism” is replacing the earlier emphasis on minimalism.
Crucially, this isn’t a simple return to femininity as a trend; it’s a cultural language being actively reworked. Designers like Susan Fang and Mark Gong are layering emotion, craft, and narrative onto a foundation of restraint. Fang’s Air Infinity show, for instance, showcased delicate structures and intricate textiles that translated personal storytelling into a visually light, yet conceptually dense, collection. Mark Gong, meanwhile, offers a more stylized interpretation of contemporary femininity, blending sensuality, precision tailoring, and pop-cultural references into deliberately coded and performative designs.
The shift is subtle, but significant. As Will Zhang of SND points out, it's less about the end of