Fashion
Will H&M x Garçon by Garçon make Shanghai Fashion Week viral?
Gearing up for October’s Shanghai Fashion Week, H&M has announced another Chinese designer collaboration with the brainchild of Garçon by Garçon, Dayun Tang. The 34-piece collection features menswear, womenswear, and unisex pieces, and follows collections with the likes of Angel Chen and Pronounce.
Also in high-street news, Australia’s China-beloved retailer Jeanswest has joined forces with Momin, and consequently gone viral on the mainland’s social platforms. And lastly, global it-girl brand Coperni, which is set to stage its next show in Disneyland Paris, has joined Mo & Co. on a collection exclusive to the Asia-Pacific region.
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Details: Men’s, women’s, and unisex clothing and accessories collection, October
Social context: H&M has 849,000 fans on Weibo, and 47,600 on Xiaohongshu. On the latter platform, Garçon by Garçon’s hashtag #ShanghaifashionweekxHMxGarconbyGarcon (上海时装周xHMxGarconbyGarcon) has reached 94,600 views so far.
Verdict:
- Partnering with H&M and launching during Shanghai Fashion Week, this collection is strategically positioned to elevate the profile of local Chinese designers on a global stage.
- It highlights the creative prowess of Tang Dayun and underscores H&M’s commitment to supporting and promoting the next generation of Chinese fashion talent, not only boosting the market visibility of emerging designers, but winning over more of China and fashion fans to H&M, too.
- The “Le Soleil, The Sun” collection by Garçon by Garçon is an eclectic blend of ancient Greek, classical Persian, and traditional Eastern aesthetics, demonstrating the brand’s approach to creating unique visual narratives that fuse Eastern and Western influences.
Details: Collection, July 18
Social context: Mo & Co has 285,000 followers on Weibo, and 10,800 on Xiaohongshu. On Xiaohongshu, #mocoxcoperni has 358,300 views, while #coperni has 44.8 million views.
Verdict:
- The Mo & Co. x Coperni collaboration brings the Parisian cult label Coperni to a broader audience in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and mainland China. By making Coperni more affordable, this partnership enables young, fashion-conscious consumers in these markets to access high-end design aesthetics, expanding Coperni’s market reach and influence in Asia.
- Referencing Coperni’s background with renowned fashion houses like Balenciaga and Chanel, the collection integrates advanced embroidery and origami-like techniques with Mo & Co’s youthful style.
- This collaboration capitalizes on Mo & Co’s established popularity among young Chinese consumers and Coperni’s recognition in the global fashion scene. The exclusive release in key Asian markets enhances the perceived exclusivity and desirability of the collection, while also fostering a deeper connection with local markets – Sunnei is among the previous collaborating designers that have benefitted from this strategy with Mo & Co.
Details: Collection, July 23
Social context: Jeanswest has over 2 million followers on Weibo, where #Jeanswest×Moomin collaboration (#真维斯×姆明联名) has 4.98 million reads.
Verdict:
- Since Australian brand Jeanswest was sold to Chinese owners in 1994, expansion in the market has been dramatic – hence the trending hashtag for this collaboration with Moomin. In 2013, Jeanswest already had over 2,500 stores in China, though recent years have seen it decline. The company has a Chinese name Zhenweisi (真维斯), and Moomin is a treasured animation in the mainland, so this is a winning combination.
- The collection merges a popular cartoon IP and a mainstream fast-fashion retailer, connecting with a major mainstream audience.
- The introduction of sub-brands like Jeanswest Club, J Kids, Jeanswest Sport, and Mini Jeanswest has diversified Jeanswest’s product line, meeting the personalized needs of different consumer groups. This collaboration with Moomin further enriches the brand’s offerings, reinforcing Jeanswest’s commitment to providing value-for-money products while enhancing its market influence and consumer recognition.