“This season is about momentum and evolution,” says designer Feng Chen Wang, ahead of her eponymous brand’s 10th-anniversary show at Shanghai Fashion Week (SHFW) Fall/Winter 2026.
As China’s fashion market recovers, that momentum is unfolding against a shifting backdrop. The Feng Chen Wang show sits within a broader recalibration: Chinese brands are sharpening both their creative identity and global positioning in response to a more selective market and increased international interest. “Shanghai is our home,” Wang says. “This moment feels like both a culmination and a new beginning.”
In a bid to balance regional heritage and global ambition, SHFW FW26 will feature both international names and younger domestic brands. Platforms like Tube Showroom, Not Showroom, and Labelhood will remain vital hubs where global buyers and independent voices intersect, while standout shows from emerging and established talents work to boost the week’s recognition.
Running from March 25 to April 1, the week will open with Shanghai-based brand HPLY’s runway debut. According to founder Huang Youlai, the show marks a strategic move for the label, as it focuses on building a cultural relevance that stands up to its commercial maturity.
Several other maturing brands, which are emblematic of China’s homegrown roster, will host runways throughout the week. Shanghai’s own Jacques Wei, known for its blend of Western tailoring and Mandarin sensibility, will show at 7.30pm on Friday. Also on Friday, 8ON8, founded by Central Saint Martins alumn Li Gong, will return with a runway rooted in technical fabrics and heritage craft, while Mark Gong, a Parsons graduate whose catwalks both at home and in New York are known conversation-starters, will show in the evening on Sunday.
Adding to the week’s creative energy is Susan Fang, who will show at 1pm on Tuesday. Fang’s practice — grounded in craftsmanship and sustainability principles — has steadily raised international eyebrows. Though distinct, the designer’s work exemplifies how independent Chinese talents now speak to a global design language.
A number of established designers will round out the week: Garçon by Garçon, which is fresh off its flagship opening in Taikoo Hui, Guangzhou (Friday); Ao Yes, made up of modern Eastern aesthetics and a broadened product line (Saturday); Shushu/Tong, which will debut its bridal offering (Monday); and Shanghai-based Xu Zhi, whose Chichi line is known for its tactile finishes (Tuesday).
Their presence signals SHFW’s ability to nurture creative growth, especially through its renowned showroom format. Tube Showroom founder Zemira Xu highlights the power of the evolving set-up in enabling designers to reach commerciality through buyer exposure. “This is our 11th year, and it’s striking to see how brands grow alongside their founders,” she says. “Shanghai Fashion Week allows these narratives to develop in a structured environment, connecting creativity with commerce in a tangible way.”
As Chinese showrooms navigate the challenging global fashion landscape, they’re finding new ways to drive revenue.
From March 25 to 29, the 24th edition of Ontimeshow will take place at the West Bund Art Center, bringing together over 300 designers from Asia and Europe to present at the region’s largest trade fair.
Other events to note
Shanghai Fashion Week now extends far beyond the runway to experiential programming and cultural activations that signal its broader creative ambitions.
One highlight is Maison Margiela’s runway show and exhibition. On April 1, the French house will make its global debut in China for FW26, followed by its “Path of Creation: Haute Couture” exhibition, open from April 2 to 6. The exhibition hopes to spotlight Maison Margiela’s technical rigor and avant-garde aesthetic, opening up its craft and creative processes to the public for the first time, before continuing its journey in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chengdu.
In another global tie-up, from March 26 to 29, Adidas Originals’s salon will return to Shanghai on Yongfu Road, spotlighting sneaker models developed by the brand’s local creation center. Chinese designer collectsive Fabrique, in collaboration with Vera Wang, will also host a “Very Vera, Very Me” pop-up from March 26 to April 8, highlighting the space between contemporary femininity and urban dressing.
As always, the 21st Labelhood festival will animate the city. Titled “Take a Leap”, this season’s edition will see Jing’an Yongyuan Road transformed into a multi-layered ecosystem spanning runway shows, exhibitions, and street activations, each mirroring the experimental energy that defines Shanghai’s creative communities.
The New Wave Fashion Competition (March 25 to 30), launched by the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association (SFDA), aims to shift how emerging talent is discovered and consumed. Rather than a series of conventional runways or presentations, the competition will unfold across the city, turning designers’ spaces into landmarks — from Xintiandi to JiaShan Road Film Park — and transforming Shanghai into a distributed exhibition platform. Six finalists will each stage site-specific installations, using architecture and location as extensions of their brand narratives.
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The format reflects wider industry expectations: young designers are no longer assessed solely on aesthetic output, but on their ability to construct a coherent brand universe. “Designers today are not just creating garments, they are building complete brand ecosystems,” says SFDA executive vice chair Madam LV. “New Wave is about identifying a new generation of creative directors who can combine design talent with brand-building, and present their vision within the real context of the city.”
Last but not least, the 2026 Vogue China Fashion Fund will officially commence on March 28, reinforcing its position as one of the industry’s most closely watched talent incubators. This year’s edition will see 2025 winner Yayi present her FW26 collectsion, as the designer makes her runway debut. The evening will also mark the formal launch of the 2026 fund, which aims to identify, support, and scale China’s next wave of design voice, with the final recipients to be announced at China Force of Fashion in the latter half of the year.
