When Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com held its recent New York Fashion Week runway show on February 17, a group of up-and-coming designers from China had a big opportunity to showcase their collections on the international stage. But the event was also aimed at catching the attention of U.S. brands, which JD.com hopes to sign to its site as it markets itself up as a global shopping platform for consumers in China.
Chinese labels chosen for the show included Alicia Lee, Gioia Pan, Ruiping Guo, Chi Zhang, and Cahill+ (by international soccer star Tim Cahill, who currently plays for the Shanghai Shenhua soccer team). One key aim of the presentation was “bring the unique creations of leading up-and-coming designers in China’s fashion scene to the global stage,” says Lijun Xin, President of JD.com’s Apparel and Home Furnishing Business Unit. “Doing so helps raise awareness and strengthens China’s growing fashion savvy.”
The New York Fashion Week cachet the brands receive could resonate not only with U.S. buyers, but also with Chinese consumers. Designer Chi Zhang says that he hopes his participation in the event will “make the Chinese customers feel proud of themselves,” adding, “China has been on the worldwide fashion runway, and now, it is time for all the Chinese customers to advocate for their own fashion brand.” A growing domestic interest in Chinese labels can be a big benefit for JD.com, as Xin states that “many of the new collections displayed at our runway show can be ordered from our website immediately, only for JD.com customers.”