China’s street fashion encompasses various global cultures, creating an eclectic style combining gender-neutral designs and retro silhouettes backed by hip-hop influences and collaborations.
KOLs such as rappers and former contestants from hip-hop talent shows fuel this phenomenon by wearing lesser-known streetwear brands that draw followers’ interest on Weibo feeds.
Sankuanz
Sankuanz is an iconic Chinese menswear brand known for drawing upon inspirations from all corners of Chinese history to incorporate streetwear codes into its collections. Recent offerings from this cult brand draw upon everything from chain mail and riot police uniforms, along with modern fashion trends and traditional culture for their latest offerings, including their new Bumpy sneakers, which represent youth culture perfectly.
Shangguan Zhe’s self-titled label was established in 2013 and quickly made waves due to its asymmetrical silhouettes and cultural references, from South Park to Buddhist traditions. After debuting at Shanghai Fashion Week in 2015, Zhe expanded his label to Paris Men’s Fashion Week two years later.
This label prides itself on cross-pollination—merging luxury design with streetwear aesthetics as well as Eastern and Western aesthetics to produce striking pieces with strong collective identities that showcase its bold forward thinking in fashion.
This season, the brand revisited Mont Kailash—a holy mountain sacred to Buddhism – to create an elegant blend of classicism and modernity in their collection. Highlights included jackets with tall shoulders, Tibetan robe draping details such as crossed and wrapped collars, as well as camo prints echoed across denim and leather material and an asymmetrical zipper on one of the sleeves – among many other features of note in this offering from Mont Kailash.
SOULGOODS
SOULGOODS is quickly making waves in the global sneaker scene with high-profile collaborations and store openings across Beijing and Sanlitun. Established by Gming in 2016, their flagship store operates with the idea that operating is done “with soul.”
SOULGOODS’ partnership with Nike marks an impressive accomplishment for their company. SOULGOODS collaborated with Nike on three unique Dunk Highs that represent various references from basketball, music, and art eras as a showcase of SOULGOODS culture and identity.
The first shoe features a green upper with touches of black on its lateral heel and laces, co-branded tongue and collar designs, and an embroidered message “Prove Yourself,” an appeal to SOULGOODS’ younger audience.
SOULGOODS also partnered with Air Jordan on an exclusive edition of their Air Ship model – originally worn by Michael Jordan before his signature line was established – that pays homage to Chinese youth while reflecting the importance of sports within Chinese culture. Its minimalist design and striking aesthetics make this shoe an essential item for streetwear enthusiasts.
Atelier Rouge Pekin
Since 2013, Atelier Rouge Pekin is a fashion brand based out of Beijing that provides apparel and accessories for both women and men. Their collections combine subtle traditional Chinese design with vibrant contemporary culture, featuring clean lines, androgynous silhouettes, trend-challenging designs, top-quality materials, and trend-challenging trends to capture the true spirit of authentic avant-garde Chinese creation.
This brand boasts a powerful international identity. Its designers draw their inspiration from China’s diverse cultural experience as well as personal experiences from life and work. Designs combine modern elements with traditional Chinese motifs such as flowers and birds to produce an original and stylish aesthetic that remains modern while timeless.
Atelier Rouge has made great strides toward changing China’s image through fashion design as well as making the world a better place through its creative designs.
The brand offers customers a membership club, which enables them to experience exclusive events and promotions, purchase products at discounts from its atelier, share their experience with friends and family, and contribute towards improving its customer service, increasing product sales, and becoming a more profitable business overall.
Lining
Many Chinese brands have integrated traditional elements into their designs for an unusual and eye-catching style; TEAM WANG’s trademark EYELETS feature in all of their products as an easy way to display Chinese culture while simultaneously adhering to modern streetwear aesthetic.
Streetwear can make a bold statement in any ensemble. If you want to incorporate some Chinese streetwear into your wardrobe, start small—try starting with something like a graphic T-shirt or colourful jacket—before gradually building up the rest of the look. Make sure that it balances with more neutral tops or bottoms in order to avoid overdoing it!
FAQ’S
1. What influences Chinese street fashion?
Chinese street fashion blends global cultures with influences from hip-hop, gender-neutral designs, retro silhouettes, and traditional Chinese elements.
2. What is unique about Sankuanz’s designs?
Sankuanz combines Chinese history with streetwear, incorporating elements like chain mail, riot police uniforms, and modern fashion trends.
3. How can I incorporate Chinese streetwear into my wardrobe?
Start with graphic T-shirts or colorful jackets, then gradually add more pieces while balancing with neutral items to avoid an overwhelming look.
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