Pure Desire 纯欲
Pure Desire 纯欲
Pure Wild 纯野, Lying Flat 躺平, Let it Rot 摆烂, Guochao 国潮, Xin Zhongshi 新中式, Yabi 亚逼 - the new Chinese style 新中式 has gone global.
UPDATE: Today, the Long Mekong Weekend focuses on the US$570 billion beauty and cosmetics business and the US$1.7 trillion fashion business succumbing to the rapidly spreading influence of Neo-China Style 新中式 (Xin Zhongshi). McKinsey Consulting, Nikkei Asia, CNN, the Guardian and the UK Economist join Xiaohongshu and Douyin (Tik Tok), Alibaba (Tabao-Tmall) and Tencent report on the cultural flowering and generational style trends joining the exports of the world’s coolest economy.
Fashion Trends in China 2023
From gorpcore to goblin mode and TikTok fashion, here are our predictions for 2023’s hottest fashion trends. An exciting year for fashion in China, 2022 has been filled with high-profile events like Shanghai Fashion Week, which brought the fashion community together after a two-year hiatus.
Chinese social media sites Xiaohongshu and Douyin (which are comparable to Pinterest and TikTok) are where most trends are born, spread, and evolve, and have also become incubators for the development of digital fashion in the country.
A recent McKinsey report has confirmed that Chinese consumers’ enthusiasm for domestic brands did not wane. What has changed, however, is the way that this passion is expressed through style. Guochao (国潮), which translates to ‘national trend,’ entered a new chapter in 2022, and blossomed into xin zhongshi (新中式) or neo-Chinese style.
Despite media reports of the impending downsizing or even withdrawal of multinational companies in China, inbound foreign direct investment (FDI) in China has been running at historical highs, having hit a record $181 billion in 2021, a 21 percent surge compared with the previous year, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Despite downward pressure on economic growth, FDI again expanded rapidly in the first six months of 2022, rising 24 percent year-on-year.
What Is ‘Neo-Chinese Style’ and Why Is It (Still) Trending?
Sinicized fashion is here to stay, and ‘neo-Chinese style’ is its latest, coolest development. Never thought you’d ever see a cyberpunk Tang suit? Or a Y2K version of the qipao? Think again! ‘Neo-Chinese style’ (新中式, xin zhongshi) is the latest and most exciting chapter in the unofficial book of guochao (国潮) fashion.
Literally meaning ‘national trend,’ guochao is fueled by Chinese consumers’ increasing interest in domestic brands that celebrate Chinese traditions, customs, and culture. Following the publication of a white paper titled ‘2022 Taobao and Tmall Apparel Industry Trends Report’ on August 26, the hashtag ‘Why has neo-Chinese style gone viral?’ (#为什么新中式穿搭火了#) has been trending on the microblogging platform Weibo and garnered more than 230 million views.
Read more here.
Local companies are winning.
Consumers are savvy and know how to educate themselves about the technical specifications of their favorite products on social media. They know the precise ingredients that go into their skincare routine, for example, or can compare and contrast the thermal efficacy and down content of their jackets.
Chinese companies today offer excellent products that are competitive or sometimes even superior to their foreign peers. The preference for local brands has accelerated as domestic companies are reacting faster to trends, are closer to the consumer, and are making bolder investments.
Download the full report here.
Goblin-Mode Fashion
A buzzword that has taken China by storm in 2022, ‘let it rot (摆烂)’ is an even more cynical version of ‘lying flat (躺平).’ The mentality was brought on by a particularly stressful year marked by slow economic growth, youth unemployment, and continuous lockdowns.
Chinese youth gave up on hustling and inevitably turned to ‘goblin mode’, which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” We may observe the rise of natural or ‘no-makeup makeup looks,’ comfortable clothing, and anything that makes people feel good — forget trends or conforming to traditional beauty standards!
Read more here.
Japanese youngsters want to look like Chinese starlets
Fashions used to flow the other way. Chinese-style makeup is trending among Japanese teenage girls and women in their twenties, which is also turning a light onto brands from China's mainland and Taiwan. Makeup trends have a history of cross-pollinating in the Asian region, with the latest no exception. Beauty gurus across Japan are going potty for styles of make-up made famous by starlets from China.
Chunyu is Pure Desire
Chunyu (纯欲, pure-desire, pronounced [tʂʰu̯ən y]) is a term used to describe an aesthetic that is "chun" - innocent and cute - but also "yu" - sexy and alluring. Chunyu is paradoxical in nature as it requires the woman to look both innocent and sexy. It combines girlish youthfulness with womanly sensuality. It is feminine and classy, but can also have a tomboyish girl-next-door vibe to it. Chunyu is often attached to the old Chinese saying, "Angel face and devil body" or "sweet and spicy".
Chunyu makeup prioritizes warm colors and clear skin. Blush, lip gloss, glitter, arched eyebrows, manhua lashes (incorrectly known as "manga lashes" in the West), and warm lipstick are used to create a doll-like face.
Read more here.
Gorpcore’s Continuous Rise
With China’s sudden lifting of its stringent pandemic prevention measures, many youngsters have one thing only on their 2023 bucket list: traveling, or any outdoor activity that will allow them to leave their apartment. Waterproof fabric, hiking shoes, and functional wear are some staples for on-the-go lifestyles. Hence gorpcore’s fast popularity in China in 2022. This momentum is likely to keep going, as more Chinese youth hit the road after two years of living under the country’s zero-Covid policy.
What does Gorpcore have to do with beauty? Another new makeup trend gaining popularity in Japan, and originating in China, is 'sayu' or plain water makeup, focusing on a translucent look, which emphasizes modesty. The gorpcore aesthetic for beauty is all about understated natural makeup. A fresh out-of-bed fresh face, a unified complexion, natural-looking mascara, and full, fluffy brows is what makes gorp beauty appealing.
Yabi Style
While trend predictions normally revolve around the mainstream and the popular, many Chinese youth are trying their best to be ‘alternative.’This ever-expanding group of rebels has been labeled yabi (亚逼), a compound word comprised of ya, meaning ‘sub-’ as in subculture, and bi, a derogatory term in a variety of Chinese insults, such as shabi (傻逼) or ‘idiot.’ Similar to ‘hipsters’ in the West, many people struggle to describe what exactly a yabi is. That said, most youth can identify a yabi with intricate and ripped stockings, colorful hair, tattoos, maximalist accessories, and loose thigh-high socks inspired by the Japanese ‘Kogal/Kogyaru’ schoolgirl style.
Read more here.