Founded in 2014 by Dohun Kim, Andersson Bell has been gaining momentum in the fashion world. Last year, the Seoul-based brand celebrated its 10th anniversary with a show in Milan and has now made its debut at Shanghai Fashion Week.
The Shanghai show, which took seven months of planning, is a key step in the brand’s international growth. The event was organized by local agency Boh Project, led by Bohan Qiu. A week prior, Andersson Bell teased the location—The Shanghai Postal Museum—on Instagram with a playful, Wes Anderson-inspired video, featuring a lift rising from the ground into the city’s stunning skyline.
The collection was a bold celebration of Americana, featuring elements like fringing, suede, rancher shirts, and cowboy prints. The line brought a futuristic take on the western theme, referencing icons such as Kurt Cobain and Chloë Sevigny. The grunge-inspired pieces included distressed fabrics, patchwork denim, oversized knits, and layered outfits. While the collection didn’t push boundaries, it offered a fresh, accessible take on the Y2K aesthetic, appealing to the cool crowd in China.
The front row was filled with local influencers, including Yonne Du, Wiwen Wang, Beijing Auntie, and stylist Lucia Liu, as well as Korean personalities like Seung Ju Han, Cherim Yun, and Lee Sa Bae. After the runway show, Kim explained why Shanghai was chosen as the venue. “We wanted to connect with buyers, press, and fans here. It’s a large market for us, and sales have been strong,” he said.
Lucrezia Seu, the founder of Shanghai-based marketing agency Plush.Consulting, confirmed that Andersson Bell is highly popular in China, with a solid following on social media, making the Shanghai Fashion Week show a natural choice. Since its launch, Andersson Bell has been profitable, with annual revenues reaching $15 million, according to Vogue Business. Kim shared that the brand saw “significant growth” in 2022.
The brand is currently stocked in top Chinese multi-brand stores, including Tag, Turight, Knotify, and j1m5. Seu suggested that opening a direct e-commerce platform in China could be a future step. Kim, however, hinted at even bigger plans, revealing that a physical store could be in the works for next year.
Despite Andersson Bell’s success in China, Kim appeared somewhat surprised by the brand’s popularity there. “I don’t really know why we are popular here, but I think people are drawn to our unique, strong aesthetic,” he said. It seems Shanghai is ready for more of what Andersson Bell has to offer.
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