by Im Fong Liu
From Paris, London to Shanghai, Chinese and Hong Kong designers are bringing a fresh energy to contemporary fashion and a broader cultural outlook. These neo-Chinese designers combine international experience with a contemporary approach to their cultural heritage. They move smoothly between cultures, often inspired by Chinese philosophy and aesthetics, without being trapped in clichés.
Neo-Chinese designers effortlessly play with tradition and technology, diaspora and global luxury. Their signature shows that heritage actually creates extra value, both culturally and economically. This creates a universal visual language that allows cultural roots to resonate in contemporary forms: fashion that is more than just style, but culturally charged and commercially powerful.
Five leading examples show that heritage as inspiration in a contemporary context can lead to international success.
Robert Wun – sculpture in couture
A dress by this designer feels like wearable art. His debut on the official Paris Haute Couture calendar in 2023 was historic: never before had a designer from Hong Kong been there in his own name. Educated at the London College of Fashion and backed by Chanel’s Bruno Pavlovsky, he combines monumental volumes with wearability, a rare combination in couture. Beyoncé and Lady Gaga have already appeared in his creations. In his autumn 2025 collection, the focus shifts to the play between volume and silhouette, with subtle references to Eastern ideas of balance.
Susan Fang – fashion flow
Anyone who sees a dress by Susan Fang immediately recognizes her air-flower technique. Feather-light layers of fabric unfold into three-dimensional flowers. From 2017 she will show her collections during London Fashion Week. Her collaborations with UGG, Zara and & Other Stories gave her name a global boost. Fang grew up in Shanghai and studied in London at Central Saint Martins. That background fuels her search for harmony and playful lightness. Her latest collection shows how transparency, architectural forms and sculpture come together in a dreamy wearable poetry, with a subtle echo of Chinese aesthetics. Her work was also shown in the exhibition Made in China at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam.
Uma Wang – understated luxury
Since 2009, this designer has been presenting in Milan. Her collections in silk and cashmere combine simplicity with sophistication. The silhouettes recall the flowing movements of classical Chinese ink art: spacious, layered and subdued. The contrast of light and dark returns again and again. Wang, educated in Shanghai, Beijing and London, is considered a pioneer of Chinese fashion on a global scale. Her autumn 2025 collection highlights this cross-pollination of cultures, with texture and nuance in the leading role. In the Netherlands, her label can be found at store/atelier Devastator in Rotterdam.
Ziggy Chen – textiles as time capsules
For Ziggy Chen, fashion starts with material. His designs for men and women bear traces of time: washed fabrics, weathered textures, muted colours. As if the clothing itself has a past. Fashion as living memory. Chen lives and works in Shanghai. After a career as a teacher of textile design, he founded his own label in 2012. His signature interweaves historical Chinese forms with European tailoring. The result is a universe that is supported and collected. His work can also be found at store/atelier Devastator.
Simone Rocha – romantic rebel
Pearls next to cool boots. Tulle next to robust wool. Simone Rocha is known for her unexpected contrasts. She designs for women and men. Her kind of romance has a fresh, modern look. Rocha grew up in Dublin, with a Chinese father, fashion designer John Rocha, and an Irish mother. After studying in Dublin and at Central Saint Martins, she incorporated influences from the Tang Dynasty and the Qingming Festival into her collections. Her designs can be found at Dover Street Market. Chloë Sevigny and Sarah Jessica Parker, in her role as Carrie Bradshaw in And Just Like That, wore her dresses. In January 2024, Rocha was a guest designer at Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture in Paris. In doing so, she strengthened her position as an international designer.
Future with impact
The success of these designers shows how visibility opens doors. Their work increases recognition, their perseverance inspires. This creates space for a diverse audience and a broader creative horizon. This cultural strength goes hand in hand with economic strength. Moreover, the fashion industry always works ahead: collections presented in September and March are only in stores six months later. Haute couture, such as the collections of Robert Wun in Paris, follows a different rhythm because pieces are often ordered immediately after the show, but there too looking ahead is central. Shows show where the industry is going, even before consumers have it in their hands.
In 2025, the global fashion industry will be worth $1.84 trillion. Luxury platforms and digital marketplaces such as Farfetch, SSENSE and MyTheresa are reinforcing this movement and giving the Chinese and Cantonese diaspora the opportunity to link artistic vision to economic impact. At the same time, technological and AI innovations from China are making fashion more accessible worldwide. The fashion world shows that cultural diversity and commercial strength together shape a new era of creation and innovation.
Im Fong Liu, culture editor of ChinaNU+ and stylist, writer and cultural consultant. www.imfongliu.com From the Netherlands, she works on projects that connect fashion, design and culture, always with an international outlook.
All images are copyright of the relevant fashion brands. Thanks to all designers and photographers, as well as store/atelier Devastator in Rotterdam for sharing the beautiful photos.
More information:
Robert Wun – www.robertwun.com
Simone Rocha – www.simonerocha.com also via www.Net-A-Porter.com
Susan Fang – www.susanfangofficial.com www.farfetch.com
Uma Wang – www.umawang.com also through www.farfetch.com, in the Netherlands through www.devastator.nl
Ziggy Chen – www.ziggychen.com in the Netherlands via www.devastator.nl
