Shanghai Fashion Week wraps up after nine breathless and optimistic days

Shanghai Fashion Week was bigger than ever this year – almost too big, in fact. While it is the range of events beyond the catwalk shows that has made it such a success in so short a time, this year’s edition spread over a very long nine days and, for all its inclusiveness, could perhaps have been better curated.

“There are a lot of shows taking place during Shanghai Fashion Week. Some of the shows are great, some of them less so,” says Richard Hobbs, co-founder of The HUB, a trade show that also hosted a series of catwalk shows for young British designers. “I like to think that what we do is more selective.”

Still, there was an undeniable air of optimism around Shanghai this month.

“The event is definitely one of the youngest, in terms of atmosphere, and is also the most vibrant one,” says Yichi Zhang, a creative consultant who has styled for Vogue Chinaand Harper’s Bazaar China.

“Part of the reason comes from the fact that a lot of independent platforms and agencies are based here– so emerging brands work with them to get the kind of industry attention they would otherwise struggle to find by themselves.”

One example was showroom concept Labelhood, which hosted a series of presentations by some of China’s emerging and most innovative designers on The Bund. One standout from the showroom was London-based Haizhen Wang, who showed a collection with elongated sleeves, structured coats and raw hemlines.