China has had a long tradition of exquisite fashion craftsmanship and unique textile design. Surprisingly though, traditional Chinese craftsmanship is oftentimes seriously overlooked, perhaps becoming victim to the generalization that wants China to be the paradise of questionable, super-fast fashion. Still, there were a few designers that fused Asian traditions with a more western approach such as Altuzarra, Jason Wu, Sandy Liang, and Philip Lim, Pioneers of delivering Asian style sensibility matched with some US street style takes, they have managed to create a space for themselves in a fashion industry that still seemed to not be inclusive enough.
SICHUAN Brocade
It would take the emerging K-pop trend and Netflix shows such as Squid Game to bring Asian American talent to the spotlight as documented by the most recent articles in USA Today and Billboard Brands such as Burberry and Gucci were fast to tap Asian influencers for their most recent campaigns and collaborations reshaping the popular perception of China as a hermetic system of self-references. These past 5 years have been a whirlwind as America holds a unique place as the world leader in the pop culture conversation. The push for diversity in fashion, not only in terms of race but for equality for people of all sizes and ages questioned outdated viewpoints and practices that had been driving society for decades.
FANGYÁN is on a mission to change all that, gathering a community of brands injected with inherent Chinese craftsmanship and sophistication. FANGYÁN wants to inspire women to explore diverse styles in its careful curation where effortless sensibility and feminine details interact with time-honored manufacturing. The designs range from capsule wardrobe to dynamic pieces for some je ne sais quoi. "Made in China but proudly made in China". It features on-the-pulse brands such as Mukzin, Fussed, Fansilanen and Since Then amongst others. It caters to this new dynamic audience of fashion connoisseurs, a new generation of consumers that are tapping on this internationalism, thus redefining “Made in China”
FANGYÁN’s offerings cater to this whole new but eclectic audience offering a Chinese top-of-the-game design mixed with sleek European style and US street-style sensibility. With items essential to any capsule wardrobe and a classic approach to modern style, the brand uses refined traditional techniques and luxury materials who offer a beautiful mix of elegance and functionality. FANGYÁN’s exquisite materials such as wool and cashmere come directly from China states known for their textile production tradition, such as Inner Mongolia.
In that context, FANGYÁN arises in its true colors; as a fashion project that delivers not only great designs but actively plays a role in this trend of redefining what China actually is to a new and curious US audience. In a world that the US versus China TikTok war situation became the last chapter of trade friction that has been happening between these two superpowers since 2018, FANGYÁN steps up to proudly declare war on misconceptions. Offering a diverse representation of Chinese talent and key trends, the brand is offering a new commercial and cultural take of “made in China” summarized as: "made in China, but proudly made and designed in China.”
By Ilia Sdralli