Global fashion powerhouse reaffirms its rise

Jing'an has reaffirmed its rise as a global fashion powerhouse with the 2025 China Annual Trends Summit in full swing this month.

A highlight came on June 11 during the high-profile "Jing'an Brand Night," when the district signed major deals to supercharge its fashion ecosystem. Shanghai Jing'an Real Estate Group partnered with international leaders Informa Markets, IGI and SF Express to build a seamless pipeline for fashion brands, covering everything from R&D and design to manufacturing and global marketing.

Jing'an also joined forces with the Italy China Fashion Council and Business France to further integrate global expertise into its growing fashion value chain.

To spotlight its ambitions, Jing'an unveiled a list of "Fashion Culture Landmarks," including Zhangyuan Garden, Yuyuan Road, Jing'an Temple, Tianhou Palace, Suhewan, Ju Fu Chang (Julu Road-Fumin Road-Changle Road) and Jing'an Joy City. These sites will serve as magnets for top talent and resources, advancing the district's mission to elevate Chinese design on the world stage.

Coinciding with the summit, the inaugural Jing'an Fashion Culture Week ran from June 7-21 at Zhangyuan Garden, turning the historic shikumen stone-gate compound into a living runway.

From June 7-8, two runway shows bridged traditional and contemporary Chinese design. The Haute Couture Show, alongside the Haipai Qipao Festival, traced a century of qipao evolution, highlighting the Longfeng qipao technique – a national intangible cultural heritage – and its modern reinterpretations. Renowned Chinese designers showcased collections blending local craftsmanship with international fashion codes.

On June 8, emerging talent from Donghua University shared the spotlight with established designers exploring sustainability and tech-enhanced textiles, offering a glimpse into China's fashion future.

Beyond the runway, the W6 building at Zhangyuan hosted a limited-time fashion-art space from June 7-21. This exhibit merged retail and art, inviting visitors to discover new Chinese design voices and shop curated collections in a unique gallery-store experience.

On June 11–12, the W12 Plaza presented a fashion image exhibition with the Chinese editions of "Man About Town" and "Wonderland." Featuring six leading Chinese photographers, the exhibit fused fashion, cultural heritage and human-centered storytelling.

Meanwhile, from June 12-20, Business France's "L'Excellence française" salon at Zhangyuan's bonded warehouse is showcasing refined French lifestyle and jewelry brands, including the China debuts of Nosjean Joaillerie and Qitteri Paris, along with a special presentation by legendary crystal house Lalique – highlighting Jing'an's growing role as a nexus for global style and trade.

Though Jing'an covers just 0.4 percent of Shanghai's land, it contributes an impressive 12 percent of the city's total fashion industry added value. Its deep commercial roots and mature fashion ecosystem have made it a top choice for global brands entering the Chinese market.

The bustling Nanjing Road W. commercial zone is home to over 2,000 brands, more than 70 percent international, with all three major global luxury groups and over 90 percent of top-tier luxury brands represented.

As a front-runner in Shanghai's booming "debut economy," the district held over 100 major debut events in 2024 alone. Throughout the year, Jing'an welcomed 234 new first stores, including six global debuts and three Asian premieres. Momentum continues in 2025, with 32 new first stores opening in the first two months alone, maintaining its lead in both volume and quality across the city.