Jose Criales-Unzueta is back in New York today, fresh off his third Shanghai Fashion Week, which wrapped up with a Moncler extravaganza on Saturday night. I asked him for a vibe check.
What is Chinese style today?
Chinese style is global style. Not unlike New York or Paris, style here in Shanghai features a mixture of beloved luxury brands—say Margiela or Balenciaga—with the exciting young talent du jour, which in this case are labels like Shushu/Tong or Ao Yes. A few designers like Samuel Guì Yang or Pronounce have also been leading the charge in an embrace of Chinese tradition, so reappraising traditional items (a cheongsam or a Mao jacket) with a contemporary eye. Seeing that start to make it into the style of young, fashion-y people here has been exciting.
Which brand on the SHFW calendar has the most potential to go global?
Jacques Wei technically shows off-calendar, but his work I believe has the most global appeal. It’s chic, artsy, and speaks to this dressier moment we seem to be experiencing, which has been top of mind in Shanghai. As it pertains to new talent, Yayi Chen Zhou of Ya Yi debuted on the runway this season after showing her first two collections at the Labelhood showroom. She combines her Chinese heritage and Spanish upbringing seamlessly, together with her experience in New York, having worked at Thom Browne and The Row. It doesn’t get more global than that.
What could other fashion weeks learn from Shanghai?
Much of the action at Shanghai Fashion Week goes down at the showrooms. While the show schedule is important and takes precedence, designers are all set up at showrooms through the week meeting buyers themselves. (They pack up their collections the day of the show and bring them back the following morning.) It’s a pragmatic, business-first approach that particularly benefits fledgling labels. Also, every show starts on time, as in no more than five minutes late. |
