Latest news with #ShanghaiFashionWeek
Fashion Network
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Vino Supraja celebrated for sustainable fashion at British Parliament
Designer Vino Supraja was recently honoured with the Global Sustainable Fashion Trailblazer award at the House of Commons, British Parliament. The recognition marked a milestone in Supraja's journey from the small town of Vandavasi to an international platform for sustainability in fashion. "Grateful to be recognised as a Global Sustainable Fashion Trailblazer at the British Parliament," announced Supraja on Linkedin. "This award is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the power of ethical fashion and craftsmanship. Sustainability is more than a choice- it's a responsibility. This recognition fuels my commitment to creating fashion that respects people, the planet, and the artistry of our weavers. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey." Supraja hails from the small town of Vandavasi and was educated in a government school, The Hindu reported. At the British Parliament, Supraja spoke about culture and sustainable fashion to a global audience. Now based in Dubai, the 45-year-old designer entered fashion after stints in architecture, animation and media studies, eventually enrolling in a fashion school in China, according to her Linkedin page. Supraja's graduation collection won two international awards and was showcased at the 2014 Shanghai Fashion Week. The designer has subsequently showcased designs at New York and Brooklyn fashion weeks, with collections influenced by events such as the 2018 Chennai floods. Supraja's shift to sustainable fashion began in Dubai, leading to collaborations with Chennimalai weavers and participation in London Fashion Week. Drawing inspiration from Tamil folk traditions like Therukoothu, Supraja has incorporated cultural storytelling into her shows and is now exploring new uses for the Bhavani jamakkalam, aiming to revive local crafts.
South China Morning Post
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Sustasia Fashion Prize: yehyehyeh's inaugural sustainable fashion competition, held during Shanghai Fashion Week, crowns Chinese designer Ruohan Nie as its first winner
Amid all the hustle and bustle of Shanghai Fashion Week this past season, one event stood out for its outstanding showcase of Asian designers making strides in sustainability: the 2025 Sustasia Fashion Prize ceremony. A joint initiative by the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association and creative agency yehyehyeh, the prize went to Chinese designer Ruohan Nie as its inaugural winner. She is best known for her eponymous label, Ruohan, which has become a hit across Asia and beyond since launching in 2021. Sustasia Fashion Prize designers and judges. Photo: Shanghai Fashion Week The announcement was made in the presence of esteemed entrepreneurs and talented designers from all across Asia at Shanghai's Suhe Haus on March 28. Visitors to the cultural hub are invited to check out all eight finalists' work, on display now in a curated exhibition titled 'Out of Asia'. The other finalists were Hong Kong's Karmuel Young , Jaggy Glarino of the Philippines, Kha Hoang Ngo of Vietnam, Angel Chen of China, Pratyush Kumar of India, Tetsuya Doi of Japan and Tommy Ambiyo Tedji of Indonesia. Advertisement The work of the inaugural Sustasia Fashion Prize finalists is on show at Shanghai's Suhe Haus. Photo: Shanghai Fashion Week For her efforts in integrating sustainability and the very language of her designs – Ruohan is known for producing garments that shape-shift and transform, rendering terms like 'top' and 'trousers' arbitrary – the victor took home a 100,000 yuan (US$14,000) cash prize. The Sustasia Fashion Prize features designers from across the continent. Photo: Shanghai Fashion Week This year's judging panel comprised Chinese tennis legend Li Na as well as leading sustainability experts and top fashion executives such as Sarah Cragg, who oversees Asia operations for Prince William's Earthshot Prize; Andrew Wu, president of LVMH Greater China; and yehyehyeh's very own founder, Shaway Yeh . As one of the leading voices on China's sustainability scene since establishing yehyehyeh in 2017, Yeh expressed great pride in this year's finalists and gratitude for the outpouring of support for the Sustasia Fashion Prize's inaugural ceremony. The Sustasia Fashion Prize judges. Photo: Shanghai Fashion Week 'The biggest surprise comes from the amazing combination of traditional craftsmanship [and] cultural heritage with the most technologically advanced materials,' Yeh said of the finalists' collections, 'and all for a plant-positive creative strategy. We feel this serves the model of next-gen design and fashion.'
Forbes
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Penhaligon's Celebrates 155th Anniversary With China Exhibition
Penhaligon's has quickly become one of the most well-known brands in China's niche fragrance category. Now it's showcasing its 155-year history to its Chinese fanbase. Penhaligon's is a global fragrance brand with a 40-strong portfolio. Its immersive retrospective exhibition 'Eau so British' opened in Shanghai—the first stop in a series of global outings ensuring the brand is as relevant today as it was in 1870. Running from March 28 to April 4, the event opened during Shanghai Fashion Week at the former residence of the comprador He Dong. In a unique partnership with Chinese artist He Xian, Penhaligon's narrative was brought to life through traditional Chinese shadow puppetry, which acted as a backdrop to the retrospective. He Xian drew inspiration from Penhaligon's very first scent Hammam Boutique to create The Birth of an English Legend—6 acts of light and shadow that portrayed how the original Mr. Penhaligon captured jasmine, lavender, and rose, essentially embarking on the brand's 155 year journey. Penhaligon's A considered curation puts the fragrances at the heart of this first consumer-facing event in China. Woven around these, the story is told by 30 items of archival ephemera, including original bottles, heritage products, packaging, and artworks. Across multiple rooms, these document over a century of perfumery, social history, and branding. An audio guide enhances images from Penhaligon's past and present. Penhaligon's immersive exhibition in Shanghai Courtesy Penhaligon's China is a key location for fashion curation. Gucci—a regular exhibitor in China—also launched Bamboo at the same time: Decoding in March at the historical Sunke Villa. Alongside archive pieces, it features artworks from Sybil Montet and Yanran Chen. And 'Eau so British' was not the only China-first show opening at the time; Loro Piana's 'If You Know You Know' at the Museum of Art Pudong was the house's debut China exhibit also opened in March (coincidentally, the brand is celebrating 100 years.) 'Eau so British' coincided with Notes Shanghai, the perfume trade show recently added to the official Shanghai Fashion Week tradeshow schedule. It attracted over 10,000 industry professionals and enthusiasts from all over the world including the fragrance KOL and influencer Scarlett Pan @宝藏女孩阿花. Pan, who attended the exhibition opening, says Penhaligon's reputation in China has been built on the Portraits collection, a line of quirky, humorous characters—what she describes as 'fancy animal-head bottles with melodramatic backstories and British aristocratic vibes.' To cement their appeal among this new generation of fragrance enthusiasts, the exhibition introduced April's release, Fortuitous Finley, which has been added to the Portraits collection. With notes of salted pistachio and the unique violet leaf, it joins other characters from the series such as Duchess Rose, Terrible Teddy, and Arthur—all among the best sellers in China. 'Young customers [here] really eat this up, and it makes the brand's UK heritage, especially the connections with royalty, feel more tangible,' Pan explains. These nods to a long association with the British monarchy started in 1903 when Penhaligon's was awarded its first Royal Warrant by the Queen Consort to King Edward VII, Queen Alexandra. Despite only entering the market in 2021, Penhaligon's has been quickly advancing in the Chinese market. It now has 24 stores in locations like Beijing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Kunming, Chengdu, and Shenzhen. And while 2025 is an important marker for the historic brand globally, 2024 was a key year for the Puig-owned label in the mainland. That year saw the opening of four doors: Wuhan SKP in July; SLT in Beijing and Plaza 66 in Shanghai—both in August—and Taikoo Hui also in Shanghai in December. For 2025's Lunar New Year, the aptly titled fragrance Luna, among the brand's most popular fragrances in the country, was given a chic, snake-inspired visual rebrand for the festival. Pan, for one, finds these classic collections, especially Sartorial, Blenheim Bouquet (made with King Charles), and Halfeti, more appealing. 'These vintage-style scents with old-school elegance and understated, gentle profiles better reflect the British culture I'm more familiar with, say, in period dramas and films,' she explains. A pre-eminent voices in the sector, Pan complimented the 'visual flair' of the display. 'I think Chinese fragrance lovers probably showed up here today with love and curiosity: a full-on appreciation of British culture,' she said at the event. Few have a heritage quite like Penhaligon's. The exhibition, which has been causing a stir on platforms like Weibo and Red Note, is now moving on to Wuhan followed by stop-offs in London (in May) as well as Dubai and Sydney in Q4.
Globe and Mail
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Hu Sheguang Releases New Haute Couture Collection in Shanghai
Hot on the heels of the Beijing Fashion Week's "Exist" show, renowned Chinese-Dutch designer Hu Sheguang launched his new haute couture collection on Sunday during the Shanghai Fashion Week. Themed "Create & Bless," the new collection is a celebration of color and ethnic culture, demonstrating the therapeutic power of fashion. Yellow, red, pink, and green — an array of bright and bold colors, evocative of British painter David Hockney's palette and the popular dopamine dressing, brightened the runway and immersed more than 700 audience members in an atmosphere of warmth and joy. Hu believes these vibrant colors express vitality and optimism, underscoring the brilliance of life and reflecting his desire for a world filled with love and happiness. Using stitching and pleating techniques, the designer gave the fabric a flowing texture and created architectural silhouettes that flatter the body and enhance the wearer's proportion, resulting in looks that are both contemporary and timeless. Another highlight of the show was the patterns of various ethnic groups in China adorning the foreheads of the models, both international supermodels and older models, who are members of the Sheguang Hu Fashion Women's Army. Incorporating Chinese ethnic totems into fashion not only creates strong visual appeal but also celebrates the country's culture and heritage, representing blessings from and for each ethnic group, Hu said. Hu is recognized as a fashion maverick, known for skillfully blending Chinese cultural heritage with contemporary fashion, which he has showcased on international runways in London and New York. His past collections have featured a rich medley of China's prized traditions, including elements of traditional Chinese opera, intricate embroidery, and blue-and-white porcelain. The show also highlighted the live music of the traditional Chinese instrument erhu (a two-stringed fiddle) by award-winning erhu player Li Xiangyang. Media Contact Company Name: Wuhan Hu Er Ye Cultural Media Co., Ltd. Contact Person: Hu Sheguang Email: Send Email Country: China Website:
Forbes
02-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
3 Perfume Brands To Know From Notes Shanghai
Notes Shanghai showcased 200 brands hailing from 19 countries and regions. This season, Shanghai Fashion Week (SHFW) welcomed a new addition to its lineup of showrooms—a perfume trade show called Notes Shanghai. In her welcome speech, the secretary-general of SHFW, Madame Lv, declared it 'a new chapter in innovation.' The inventive move—a world first from a fashion week—attests to the growing interest in fragrance in China, especially among younger consumers. With a low penetration rate of around 5%—according to reports—China has been touted as the holy grail of the fragrances industry for a number of years. Mintel predicts market sales will reach 15.439 billion RMB by this year. Now, Notes Shanghai with its 200 brands hailing from 19 countries and regions, is poised to take a slice of the action. Under the direction of founder Alex Wu, who calls it the 'very first professional event dedicated to fragrance in China,' the initiative aims to link up all aspects of the fragrance value chain. Wu says a distinct 'Chinese scent' aesthetic is emerging—rooted in local culture, raw materials, and storytelling—which creates emotionally resonant and culturally rich fragrances.'It's about connecting people and helping them to understand these changes,' Wu says. 'I want to bring people, brands, and retailers together.' Prada took part in the trade show during Shanghai Fashion Week Notes Shanghai is an immersive expo that runs twice yearly, attracting a broad selection of brands, industry professionals, and consumers making up a footfall of around 15,000 visitors per season. Across 3 days, it attracted a lively brand mix of global companies from March 27 - 30. Juliette Has A Gun and Issey Miyake interspersed with domestic labels like Boitown, Melt Season, and Voice From The Sky. In the busy space on the West Bund, Prada, Diptyque, Le Labo, and Tom Ford were showcased as part of 'Notes Collection.' Boutique stores included Hong Kong's Scented Niche, Olfacto Project, and new entry Popscent—fronted by local brand Reclassified. 18,000 viewers tuned into livestreams broadcasting round-tables and keynotes from industry professionals like Mane's Vice President Perfumer, Veronique Nyberg, and the Tmall fragrance expert Xue Nie. Global influencers such as Jeremy Fragrance rubbed shoulders with local KOLs and bloggers like Scarlett Pan and Gail Ruhan. The final day offered companies B2C retail and market research opportunities. Ankita Gill, the founder of Param Sara—a brand from India, born in China—is taking part for the second time. 'It's a great platform to have a one-on-one conversation with consumers. It enables you to connect and get immediate feedback. If you are already selling here, you'll see how you can elevate that experience,' she advised. Notes Shanghai aims to help brands penetrate the Asian market. However, with Shanghai acting as the gateway, Wu hopes his brainchild will become a key platform for the Chinese and broader Asian fragrance industries to expand onto the global stage. As competition heats up in the sector, here are three brands to know from Notes Shanghai. China's only perfume trade show has a footfall of around 15,000 visitors per season. When Reclassified (RE调香室) was founded in Shanghai in 2013 by Mac Lin, the only competition it faced was from Jo Malone. As one of the original domestic fragrance brands, Lin was quick to spot an opportunity. Reclassified quickly opened its first physical store in 2014 and focused on developing and securing strong supply chains. Now, it has over 100 doors across China offering fragrances that appeal to China's 25 to 30-year-olds living in Tier 1 and 2 cities. The brand's more affordable line When And Where—the focal point of its booth at Notes — was founded in 2019. Investment from CITIC Capital followed 2 years later. In March 2024, Reclassified partnered with the French master perfumer Dominique Ropion to launch the 'Masters of Light' series. Now, it's moving into distribution with the debut of the platform Pop Scent—retailing European brands only—at the tradeshow. 'In China, the distribution is not as mature asin other countries. Given our years of experience in offline retail and strong relationships we have decided this is a key focus for us,' Lin explained. Founded in 2022 by Bobber Wang, Zhufu now has 7 scents, scented candles, and body oils. Bobbar Wang founded Zhufu in 2022 following work as a designer with several international names. Hardly surprisingly, the brand has already been recognized by the German Design Awards (2025). A visual identity based around bamboo—meaning prosperity—is an homage to his grandmother who was a bamboo knitter. This is cleverly reflected in the branding and the bottle design (which echoes the knots of the wood). Perhaps serendipitously, the top-selling scent Nana, infused with the sweet snack persimmon, is based on the woman herself. Zhufu now has 7 scents including a limited edition collaboration with a master from Shanghai's traditional Buddhist temple, Donglin Temple in the Jinshan District. Another, the Poet, is inspired by the famous Chinese writer Li Bai and contains 'a little bit of the Chinese baijiu.' It's the brand's third outing at the exhibition and currently, it retails offline in Paris and Canada as well as through China's e-commerce channels. 'We want to introduce our Chinese culture to the world. The international perfume market should have room for one Chinese brand,' Wang stated. Param Sara's Indian founder Ankita Gill studied at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery. Param Sara is another brand on a mission: this time, to put Indian perfumes on the map. The founder Ankita Gill studied at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery and started Param Sara in Shanghai—her adopted home of the last ten years. 'I think Indian fashion brands have definitely broken the barriers and people globally have started to understand the craft behind the workmanship. Now it's time for a fragrance from India,' says Gill. Why China? Gill says it's a laboratory for innovation and experimentation. China is always open to new things. People are so curious and listen to you but allow you to stay through to your roots.' Param Sara uses upcycled ingredients, transforming what was once considered a by-product into evocative, sustainable scents. Its most popular scent, The Mandala, has top notes of green mango and bergamot. 'No one thinks of a tropical fruit in an Asian fragrance. Here, it's mostly floral or woody.' But Indian summers and mangos go hand in hand and Gill recounted enjoying them as a child in India. 'I am using ingredients that have been woven into my daily life and have had so much impact through rituals and traditions. This is what I'm trying to capture, the power of fragrance to transport us,' she added.
