Shanghai Fashion Week 2025 wrapped up last week, once again proving itself as a global fashion powerhouse. The bi-annual event, themed “Setting New Boundaries, Building the Unprecedented,” spotlighted the fusion of technology with high fashion for the Fall/Winter season. With designers and brands from over 30 countries, this year’s edition featured a vibrant mix of international innovation and rich Chinese heritage.
EP Yaying Honors Cultural Roots with Modern Elegance
The event opened with EP YAYING, a brand celebrated for redefining women’s luxury fashion through a cultural lens. Centering its show on the theme of “Elegance,” EP YAYING showcased garments that seamlessly blended traditional Chinese artistry with advanced fashion tech. Signature pieces featured peony motifs, accompanied by a digital peony installation above the runway that heightened the immersive experience.
The label partnered with revered Chinese artisans: paper-cutting master Yang Jinqiu and silk embroidery artist Zou Yingzi. Their crafts brought texture and shimmer to the garments, weaving culture into each stitch. A Kunqu Opera singer and a guitar soloist elevated the presentation, merging traditional and contemporary music for a show that transcended fashion norms.
Tech Takes the Spotlight with Robots on the Runway
Day two saw a remarkable spectacle as Unitree Robotics brought their G1 humanoid robot and robotic dog to the runway, dressed in the latest pieces from tech-fashion label NMTG. Known for their viral robot Yangge Dance performance during the Chinese Spring Gala, Unitree stunned audiences with this futuristic fashion moment.
NMTG’s collection embraced cyberpunk themes and honored nature, taking cues from the nomadic Evenki clan of northern China. Intricate elements like Tibetan Nine-Eye rope braiding added an ethnic twist to the high-tech narrative, creating a deeply layered story of past and future converging on the catwalk.
Bold Concepts: Cyberpunk, Y3K, and Alien Couture
BillionDevon offered a bold interpretation of futuristic fashion with a collection titled “The 25th Hour of Billie.” Inspired by a fictional alien girl, Billie, and her feline sidekick Devon, the designs combined AI and VR elements to deliver an out-of-this-world spectacle. The result was a vibrant fusion of Y3K aesthetics, balancing edginess with practicality.
Meanwhile, heritage brand 金利來 (Goldlion) 3388 reimagined men’s formalwear by blending traditional Chinese patterns with a space-age twist. The result was a retro-futuristic suit collection that paid homage to cultural roots while embracing the exploratory spirit of space travel.
Weiræn, a standout newcomer from the previous year, returned with a daring sci-fi-inspired collection that further blurred the lines between fashion and art. Using transparent fabrics, metallic textures, and experimental silhouettes, the label transformed the runway into a surreal vision of wearable sculpture and digital fantasy.
Reimagining Winter Wear: AWR’s Futuristic Down Designs
AWR (Awonder Reborn) shook up cold-weather fashion with its Ex Machina-inspired “Avenir Moderne” collection. Founder Weng Wenbiao, known for his decade-long expertise in down apparel, debuted winter garments transformed into stylish capes, skirts, and gowns.
With a color palette that ranged from bold statement shades to calm, minimalist tones, AWR’s redesign of the down jacket broke away from traditional bulky winterwear. The collection proved that comfort and functionality could coexist with futuristic elegance.
Nike’s “Victory Lap” Celebrates Women in Sports and Style
Closing out the week was Nike’s powerful “Victory Lap” showcase, a dynamic tribute to female athletes and the fusion of sports and style. The runway, converted into a glowing race track, hosted stars like Chinese athletes Xu Huiqin, Zhang Deshun, Ge Manqi, and Lin Yuwei, alongside J-pop girl group XG.
Nike introduced innovative products including the Swoosh Bra, Alphafly 3, Windrunner jacket, and Vomero 18, designed for peak performance and sleek aesthetics. The sportswear giant also collaborated with notable Chinese designers to blend athletic function with couture flair. Susan Fang stunned with dreamy, lace-filled pieces, while Mark Gong offered agile and minimalistic designs. AO YES introduced bold Neo-Chinese styles in vivid reds, and Windosen closed with a playful nod to retro-futurism and Y2K culture.
From AI-crafted alien couture to humanoid robots strutting in high fashion, Shanghai Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2025 offered a glimpse into the future of design. By boldly merging heritage with high-tech innovation, the event didn’t just celebrate style—it redefined the possibilities of fashion itself.
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