Pitti Uomo’s China Wave Section Spotlights Eight Chinese Brands

MILAN — As China emerges not just as a big luxury market, but also a hotbed for local creativity, increasingly aiming for international recognition, Pitti Uomo is doing its part to help by partnering with the China National Garment Association for China Wave.

A brand new section of the Superstyling, fashion-forward area at the Fortezza da Basso fairgrounds, China Wave spotlights eight premium contemporary Chinese fashion brands, offering a glimpse into the bubbling fashion scene in the country, which has been increasingly developing a voice of its own.

“A large number of excellent Chinese brands and designer brands have emerged in the Chinese clothing industry after years of development. Having achieved substantial market influence in China, these brands now aspire to utilize international platforms to expand their global presence,” explained Chen Dapeng, president of the China National Garment Association and vice president of the China National Textile and Apparel Council. The China Wave project is organized under the China International Fashion Fair, a program aimed at the internationalization of the country’s fashion brands.

“We hope that these brands can showcase their innovation and creativity on the international stage of Pitti Uomo and present a new image of independent Chinese brands,” the executive added.

He touted Pitti Uomo’s organizers for seamlessly collaborating on the project and providing all the needed resources for it to materialize.

Dapeng said the eight brands — Valleyouth, KB Hong by K-Boxing, Raxxy, JDV, Fenggy, Blackhead, Keyone by Hattershub and Typetail — best represent “the advanced development of the industry.

“Cultural creativity is the core of brand development. Hence, the core criteria of the brand selection process is still focused on style and creativity, as well as the cultural expression manifested through the style and creativity…[that] is also well-versed in international expression language and methods,” Dapeng said.

Pitti Uomo has always had a knack for spotlighting international countries with collective showcases. This season, in addition to China Wave, the menswear fair will host areas dedicated to Japanese and Scandinavian brands through the ongoing sections J Quality and Scandinavian Manifesto, respectively. It is also rebooting Promas, a section dedicated to about 28 French brands selected by the Promas menswear federation.

Dapeng said the Chinese brands are “an open and innovative pioneering force in fashion. They are attentive to the changes in the new generation of consumers, the elevation of brand cultural creativity, the integration of diverse cultures and the development of sustainable fashion. I am confident that these Chinese designer brands, which originate from the East and harmonize Eastern and Western cultures, will undoubtedly win the favor and appreciation of the Western market through their distinctive concepts and creations.”

A dedicated cocktail reception on Tuesday, the inaugural day of the trade show, will cut the ribbon to the China Wave area hosted at the Costruzioni Lorenesi venue inside the Fortezza da Basso.

Meet the Brands

Valleyouth is a menswear brand founded in 2012 by Li Wenjie defined by nature-inspired designs twisted with a youthful spin. The brand, which expanded to womenswear and adjacent lifestyle categories such as home decor and kidswear, is also part of the Milan Fashion Week schedule with a digital show on June 18.

KB Hong by K-Boxing is a Chinese menswear brand that bowed in 2020 at Milan Fashion Week as a high-end collection of casualwear company K-Boxing, founded in 1980. Helmed by co-creative directors Hong Boming and Massimo Foroni, it blends East and West references, combining Chinese formalwear with the Italian penchant for laid-back elegance.

Founded by William Shen in 2018, Raxxy is a luxury outerwear company known for its futuristic accents, the result of Shen’s penchant for combining creativity with the rules of logics and mathematics. In addition to outerwear, it offers a total look, as well as womenswear pieces.

JDV, which stands for J-Different View in a nod to its founder Jason Shen’s name, was established in 2010 as a full menswear brand based on the philosophy that fashion is not just about clothes but also a tool for conveying a certain lifestyle.

Launched in 2019 by Ge Feng, Fenggy is a womenswear fashion brand geared at an active lifestyle. It reinvents sportswear through a trend-driven lens, leveraging performance fabrics and minimalist aesthetics.

The Shanghai-based accessories brand Blackhead was founded in 2012 by Liu Yu and encompasses handbags, footwear, jewelry and sunglasses, among other categories. It is strongly linked to youth subcultures and explores the punk and rebellious spirit of the cool Chinese kids.

Ding Yan and Shang Xiaorong are the two creative minds behind Keyone by Hattershub, a hat brand founded in 2002 blending streetwear and formal headwear designs.

Typetail’s creative director Iris Chen designs for urban cool girls and fashionistas offering a total look that encompasses ready-to-wear and accessories. It was established in 2021.