Shanghai Design Week (SHDW) announced during an event at London Fashion Week that the Shanghai municipal government plans to develop the city into a world-class design capital by 2030.
It estimates the creative design industry’s total output this year at 1.6 trillion Chinese yuan (205.5 billion euros) and has set a goal of increasing this value to 2 trillion Chinese yuan by 2025 – which is expected to achieve double-digit annual growth . The SHDW was established in 2013 by the Shanghai Economic and Information Technology Commission to achieve this ambitious goal.
Under the title “Design to Wonderland”, the exhibition shows 33 multidisciplinary design brands on 168 displays with five world firsts. The selected brands offer a unique insight into the current design and consumer trends in China. The eclectic mix includes Como, a pioneering digital studio specializing in computer graphics, Pechoin, one of China’s oldest skincare brands that is finding new fans among Generation Z, lifestyle brands Snowline and sportswear line Warrior that are tapping into the growing appetite of local consumers on outdoor activities, as well as the popular toy retailer Popmart.
The installation, held in London’s Chinatown as part of the World Design Cities Conference 2023 (WDCC2023), was hosted by the China Exchange, a cultural charity. It runs until September 29th and continues in Shanghai itself from September 26th to October 2nd, just before Shanghai Fashion Week.
China’s return after Corona
This event is the first Chinese fashion and design event in London since the country lifted its lockdown following the Covid-19 outbreak and aims to strengthen ties with the British capital.
“Our main goal is to bring design from China outward and design inward,” said Steve Lau, Co-Chief Executive Officer of SHDW, who flew to London for the event. The event also marked the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the London Design Festival to promote a partnership between the two cities’ creative industries.”Strategically, the main aim and return on investment (ROI) of this event is to initiate and encourage dialogue with the London design community “We have many follow-up events planned,” explained Lau.
Also present was Lv Xiaolei, Secretary General of the Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee, as well as the fashion week’s sustainability platform, Ulio. The group’s curator and fashion consultant Dan Cui selected looks from designers such as Huishan Zhang and Pronounce, regulars at London Fashion Week, as well as Sanspeng and 8ON8.
Speaking at a panel discussion during the opening ceremony, Ben Evans, co-founder of the London Design Festival, stressed that the government’s national policy – from Made in China to Designed in China – was “well on track” and that British audiences were missing out on access to the country’s creative industries . “Design is limitless and we welcome participation. What we don’t know is the current Chinese design, and we’re curious to know more about it[…]. “The British audience is not aware of what is happening in China today,” he stressed.
Lau reiterated the role of Shanghai Design Week. “We are the platform for promoting the design industry. We are open to collaborations and submissions from all countries – regardless of whether they are investments or projects. We want to transform the city into a world design city,” he told FashionUnited after the event. Shanghai is open to all creative disciplines – and fashion is one of the five crucial pillars.
This translated and edited post was written by Gemma A. Williams and first appeared on FashionUnited.uk.