China International Fashion Fair Flourishes in Shanghai in Spite of Geopolitical Strife

Clearly flourishing despite the many geopolitical hurdles over the last year, the China International Fashion Fair (CHIC) showed off the strength of the industry in China last week.

Held from March 11–13 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), it brought together more than 1,091 exhibitors across 117,200 square meters, drawing 160,000 visitors to its Spring 2026 edition in Shanghai.

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The sheer scale, bustle and energy reflected the depth of the industry, even as the ominous rumblings of global trade continued in the background.

Business remained at the forefront, alongside a strong focus on trends. Exhibitors demonstrated the absorption of global influences and, in parallel, the importance of Chinese trends, patterns, and fabrics. There was also a significant play on new technologies and a vibrant focus on CHIC Young Blood, with its emphasis on young fashion, streetwear, and contemporary lifestyle brands.

The focus on spring was clear in the sprightly blue-and-green color scheme of the exterior, accented with multicolored flowers and a waltzing font announcing CHIC Spring 2026.

Jiao Pei, deputy president of the China National Garment Association (CNGA) and general manager of the Beijing Fashion Expo, addressed the ongoing pressures. “Tariffs have definitely been a concern, and they have had a huge impact on the sector,” he told Sourcing Journal, while reiterating the broader shift: “The fact is that China is no longer about manufacturing. It is also about fashion, setting the trends, and digital technologies in fashion.”

“CHIC can give the rest of the world complete information about the apparel industry,” he said. “The scale and audience have improved, and the quality of the visitors is higher—there are more professionals. Among the exhibitors, there are a lot of large brands, but now there are smaller ones too.”

Speaking about the decline in exports in 2025, he noted that tariffs were part of the reason. “Manufacturers and exporters need policies to be stable. There have been a lot of frustrations. The industry is under a lot of pressure and there is not much effective demand. The competition is very rough,” he said, adding that the exhibition reflected the mood of the industry. “Domestic and international market sales were going down, even though e-commerce sales were growing.”

“In general, sportswear, outdoor, and Chinese-style fashion are growing, while traditional menswear, like suits, is declining. The change represents a shift in lifestyle,” he said, pointing out that there was also a rapid evolution of intelligent fashion.

“Style and design are being combined with technology iteration, which is very fast,” added Jordan Zeng, director of Business division, China World International Exhibition

That shift was visible across the fair.

The Future 2030 showcase highlighted developments such as Style3D and AI-driven design, pointing to a future where fashion can be designed, developed, and created with fewer limitations. Digital fashion more broadly explored virtual design processes and new retail technologies, reinforcing how deeply technology is now embedded in the industry.

The CHIC Young Blood section captured the momentum of a new generation.

“There are 60 brands from Korea, China, and Australia in the Young Blood section, up from 37 last year,” said Liu Yan, deputy director, exhibition department, China National Garment Association. Describing them as “dynamic, creative, and fast-moving,” she said that overall style trends were “more unisex, more menswear, more bling.”

“In general, you see the focus on fabric being more comfortable and on self-expression,” she said. “We believe the future trend will be about combining Eastern elements with global trends,” adding that younger consumers are “spending much more.”

Among the notable exhibitors in this section was A New Studio, a 30-year-old company that distributes 800 brands. “We want people to know the great strength we have in design as well,” said marketing director Kingsley Ou.

Another brand, Soarin, drew attention with a sculptural installation at its center. “The trend is ash, to show the passage of time—that time is flowing and what remains is the essence. The essence is to be…soaring,” said co-founder Andeity Zhao. “We have the history, we have Chinese elements, and we plan to take it to the global stage,” he added, noting the brand’s use of cottons and silks, with a focus on self-print and crushed linen fabrics.

The changing design and focus for younger consumers can be seen on the streets in Shanghai, in the French Concession area, and at retail outlets such as Times Remake, where vintage is prized as much as fresh stocks, and both are sold at a premium.

Across the womenswear halls, there was striking experimentation in style and fabric. Sharper tailoring and column dresses marked a move away from last year’s relaxed layering and flowing silhouettes, pointing toward more sophisticated styles and a focus on longevity.

Modern fusion remained a strong theme, integrating Chinese cultural elements and silhouettes with global trends. Specialized exhibitors such as RUNXI, focused on knitted women’s foundation wear, and the global designer collective Fabrique reflected a shift toward high-quality, niche production.

Menswear was a big draw, with stands like Dongqi Group in striking white, and Planea with its dolphin-bird motif, alongside two rows of elegantly attired mannequins in light pre-spring winterwear. CANOTWAIT—the high-street label founded in 2020 by William Chan—also participated, showcasing its mix of street culture, art, and outdoor lifestyle.

“There are 150 exhibitors in the men’s section, 20 percent more than the last time,” said Li Zhenyu, head of CHIC Menswear. “The focus is younger, more casual, and less traditional. This is reflected in both the fabric and the cuts.”

She added that sustainability has been becoming an important focus, alongside the rise of unisex clothing. “Part of the change is also a bigger focus on unisex clothing—with more women wearing these styles as well.” Among the innovations this season, she pointed to seamless construction and new technical materials offering features such as moisture absorption, particularly in sportswear and casualwear.

Brands like Innome illustrated this shift, focusing on activewear with cooling, non-sticky, seamless tailoring and advanced lamination techniques.

Exhibitors were candid about market realities. Lu Yang, marketing director at Planea, which exports roughly a third of its production to global retailers, spoke about declining momentum.

“The market is shrinking,” he said, noting a sharp drop in sales over the past year, while also pointing to efforts to find new avenues for growth.

E-commerce continues to reshape the landscape. Chen Jeng Kang, chairman, Wendao Apparel Co. Ltd. from Guangdong province, said his company has shifted focus toward the domestic market following the pandemic. “It is because of the global environment,” he said, noting the rise of platforms such as Taobao, Tmall, Rednote, Poizon, and WeChat as dominant retail ecosystems.

“We are compensating global sales with online business,” he said, adding that online sales accounted for 50 percent of the company’s business in 2025. “It is all about creating a following,” he added, pointing to the importance of social media engagement in driving growth.

The wider backdrop remained complex. Conversations at CHIC frequently returned to tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and the impact of ongoing conflicts, including concerns around freight disruptions, surcharges, and oil prices. Manufacturers also spoke about exploring Southeast Asia as an alternative production base amid continued uncertainty in U.S.-China trade relations.

Despite a slowdown in exports, which fell to $151.12 billion in 2025, down 5 percent year-on-year, there appeared to be little impact on the scale and ambition on display at CHIC. However, the first two months of 2026 have shown an uptick, showing a growth of 12.4 percent in RMB terms for the sector, and a growth of more than 22 percent overall for exports from China, the fastest growth in the last four years according to figures from the customs authorities last week.

Among the global exhibitors, the Italian section stood out, with twelve exhibitors showcasing high-end Italian design and manufacturing expertise, with brands like Anneclaire, Longa, Cinziacaldi, Ten Ways to be, Blanca Luz, and more.

Overall, spanning the different exhibition segments in 13 large areas, ranging from womenswear and menswear to digital fashion, accessories, outdoor, etcCHIC Spring 2026 reflected an industry under pressure but actively evolving.

In the years since it first started in 1993, in Beijing, moving to Shanghai in 2015 to become a biannual event held in March and August/September at the National Exhibition and Convention Center, exhibitors noted that it had transformed many times over, and always continued to grow.

Along with the huge floor area were also the growing number of  industry programs—shows and panels where industry experts discussed current developments shaping the global fashion market and CHIC Matching events for targeted connections.

Jerry Li, a visual merchandise designer for Planea, summed up the prevailing mood as the show came to a close. The industry and global realities once again came center stage, and the outlook for CHIC Autumn: August 25-27 was already materializing.

“Who knows what will happen next? But we have to keep doing the things we need to do.”

He referenced a Chinese adage: “Don’t ask the result, just do it. Things will happen.”