As Young Chinese Get Hooked On Hip-Hop, Streetwear Sees A Boom

Chinese label CLOT’s runway show at New York Fashion Week was neatly embodied in a single soccer jersey. On one side sprawled a dragon, on the other a Nike swoosh. The show was meant to bridge East and West, and to show off Chinese fashion talent to an American audience. In a collaboration with Nike, Air Force 1 sneakers were redone with ornate silk uppers that took inspiration from traditional Chinese textiles. At the core of the show, meanwhile, were the baggy pants, bomber jackets, and flannels that are staples of streetwear, an amalgam of skate and hip-hop cultures exerting a growing influence around the world. The Feb. 7 presentation was part of Tmall China Day, a new partnership between China’s biggest e-commerce platform, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and Suntchi, a prominent management firm in China’s fashion and entertainment business. Sports brand Li-Ning showed in the morning, followed by Peacebird, a large Chinese contemporary label, and Chen Peng, a young designer brand. Read more at Quartz.