Buyers Favor Phoebe Philo Femininity and Strong Accessories in Shanghai

Relaxed tailoring and menswear influences were back at Shanghai Fashion Week for fall 2026 — with a move toward more fluid silhouettes.

“You could loosely interpret this as a blend of Phoebe Philo’s sculptural shoulders, Saint Laurent’s color sensibility, and Vuitton’s sense of theatrical, almost carnivalesque imagination,” said Eric Young, owner of Shanghai’s Le Monde De SHC.

“Structural tailoring that exists only on social media and unable to translate into everyday wear is out. There’s also a greater emphasis on exploring the spatial relationship between garment and body — silhouette and proportions are no longer the sole focus,” added Ding Ni, buying manager at Labelhood.

“What’s emerging is not a singular idea of femininity, but a broader spectrum — balancing strength, softness, and restraint,” said Will Zhang, founder of Chongqing’s SND, citing a shift away from tight cuts and structural shapes into romantic territory, one skillfully defined by Chloé.

Felt throughout the week was a shifting sentiment as sportswear brands move into designer fashion territory with savvy localized campaigns — examples include Nike’s Air Max corner shop and Adidas’ Anfu and Changle sneaker launches. Buyers agreed that local designers needs to move away from streetwear and loud logos to differentiate themselves.

“It’s important to increase special one-of-a-kind pieces and decrease wide distribution,” said Irene Yu, general merchandise manager at Joyce in Hong Kong.

“We continuously think about how to offer loyal fashion audiences something distinct from super luxury brands’ experiences,” added Yang, emphasizing a focus on “building flexible and diverse forms of collaborations.”

Still facing an uncertain economic outlook, coupled with fickle weather conditions, buyers are turning their attention to strong accessories — particularly shoes and bags — to continue filling shelf space.

“We are being more cautious with heavier pieces, as the winter season continues to shorten in terms of sell-through window,” said Laura Darmon, buyer and business development at ENG in Shanghai.

Darmon was also the co-organizer of “Boarding Pass — Shanghai Edition,” a program initiated by Promas, the promotion agency for the French menswear industry. This year, brands including Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Egonlab, Coltesse and Baziszt visited the Shanghai market for the first time, presented their latest collections at a local showroom and met with local editors, stylists and influencers during an intimate dinner.

“Designers landing here, connecting with the local market face-to-face, means they are finally able to understand the market better,” said Darmons. “It was very important to show them the stores here, so they understand how the different districts are highly segmented, how market needs differ on a microscopic level.”

Here, a roundup of buyers’ reactions to the fall 2026 edition of Shanghai Fashion Week.

Irene Yu, general merchandise manager, Joyce, Hong Kong

Favorite collections: Oude Waag, Shushu/Tong, Samuel Gui Yang, Garçon by Garçon, Yayi

What trend will matter in six months? Menswear influence and craft.

What’s a pass? Streetwear, loud logos.

Budgets up, down or flat? Up.

Where are you increasing spend, or being more cautious? Increasing on special one-of-a-kind pieces, decreasing wide distribution.

Any categories in which you will place a deeper buy this season? Still womenswear, outerwear.

New discoveries or emerging brand buys? Both.

What show best met the moment? Samuel Gui Yang.

Did you feel any “vibe shift” this season? Less obvious styles but more authentic.

If you could sum up the season in one word: Flavor.

Laura Darmon, buyer and business development, ENG, Shanghai

Favorite collections: Shushu/Tong, Markgong, Xu Zhi, Maison Margiela, Yvmin.

What trend will matter in six months? Relaxed-fit tailoring.

Budgets up, down, or flat? Up — we are continuing to grow with our current partners through stronger and deeper buys.

Where are you increasing spend, or being more cautious? We are increasing spend on strong accessories, shoes and bags, while being more cautious with heavier pieces, as the winter season continues to shorten in terms of sell-through window.

Any categories in which you will place a deeper buy this season? Hats and accessories.

New discoveries or emerging brand buys? Ratio et Motus — a beautifully designed bag brand. You can really feel the craftsmanship and precision in each design.

What show best met the moment? Shushu/Tong.

Did you feel any “vibe shift” this season? Absolutely. I feel that China-based designers are presenting their collections in the strongest way right now. Maison Margiela’s show also brought a significant number of international guests, designers, press and buyers, which gave these talents an important platform to showcase their work globally.

If you could sum up the season in one word: Step-up.

Eric Young, owner, Le Monde De SHC, Shanghai

Favorite collections: Samuel Gui Yang

What trend will matter in six months? It’s difficult to pinpoint a defining memory from this season’s SHFW. There are certainly early signs of market recovery, though nothing particularly strong. Designers leaning into safer choices is understandable in this context. That said, there are still some visible patterns. Many designers seem drawn to exaggerated silhouettes that emphasize the female form, paired with rich, jewel-toned fabrics. You could loosely interpret this as a blend of Phoebe Philo’s sculptural shoulders, Saint Laurent’s color sensibility, and Vuitton’s sense of theatrical, almost carnivalesque imagination. How buyers and consumers will ultimately respond to this direction remains to be seen, but on the runway, it was everywhere.

What’s a pass? We should probably let go of “quiet luxury” altogether. Like “old money,” it’s a fabricated narrative, uninspiring and deeply uninteresting.

Budgets up, down or flat? Relatively cautious. For local brands, our focus is on building flexible and diverse forms of collaboration.

Where are you increasing spend, or being more cautious? Our budgeting is always centered around our clients. We continuously think about how to offer loyal fashion audiences something distinct from super luxury brands’ experiences. As for caution — it’s fair to say we’ve been operating carefully for the past few years.

Any categories in which you will place a deeper buy this season? Not necessarily the standout “headline” collections from SHFW. Sometimes it’s about discovering a particularly distinctive design element within a collection. And if nothing truly resonates, leaving space is not bad.

New discoveries or emerging brand buys? Shanghai Fashion Week is increasingly attracting designers from across Asia. Looking toward cities like Seoul, Bangkok and Tokyo, there are still small but exciting discoveries to be made.

What show best met the moment? Samuel Gui Yang delivered an exceptional show, with intensely emotional looks that were almost breathtaking.

Did you feel any “vibe shift” this season? Persistence is an attitude.

If you could sum up the season in one word: Recalibration

Will Zhang, founder, SND, Chongqing

Favorite collections: Oude Waag, Lamrons, Ruohan, Duidao, Swaying

What trend will matter in six months? From a buying perspective, one direction continues to strengthen — a shift, led by Chloé, away from body-conscious construction towards more fluid, relaxed silhouettes.

This softness is not about pleasing others, but about self-definition. What’s emerging is not a singular idea of femininity, but a broader spectrum — balancing strength, softness and restraint.

What’s a pass? Overly body-conscious designs are losing momentum, particularly those relying on tight cuts, structural segmentation, or explicit “sensual” signifiers.

The challenge is less about aesthetics and more about relevance — these pieces tend to have limited versatility and lower wearing frequency. In the current climate, customers are gravitating towards pieces that are low in statement but high in adaptability. Overall, overtly constructed silhouettes and forced sensuality are likely to face increasing pressure at retail.

Budgets up, down or flat? We remain relatively conservative when it comes to Chinese designer brands. This is largely tied to current consumer behavior — over the past few seasons, more established international labels have shown stronger consistency in sell-through and conversion.

At the same time, the local designer landscape is becoming increasingly diverse. We continue to observe closely and selectively support brands with clear positioning and strong product fundamentals.

Where are you increasing spend, or being more cautious? We are increasing spend in feminine ready-to-wear and accessories, while becoming more cautious with gender-neutral categories.

Any categories in which you will place a deeper buy this season? We are placing deeper buys in leather outerwear, particularly genuine leather and shearling categories.

New discoveries or emerging brand buys? No new brand additions this season.

What show best met the moment? Oude Waag stood out the most this season. The overall execution was highly refined, restrained in narrative, yet carrying a clear sense of strength. It presented a composed and confident vision of femininity. The casting of Suzi de Givenchy added further depth, reinforcing the layered expression of this character.

Did you feel any “vibe shift” this season? Yes, there was a clear shift. The season moved away from defined, body-conscious dressing towards something more fluid and less constructed. Silhouettes felt lighter, with less emphasis on structure and more focus on movement and wearability. It also reflects a broader change in mindset, from dressing to be seen, to dressing for self-comfort and ease.

Overall, the shift feels less about making a statement, and more about creating a sense of balance and effortlessness.

If you could sum up the season in one word: Ease — across dressing, visual tension and emotional tone.

Ding Ni, buying manager, Labelhood, Shanghai

Favorite collections: Samuel Gui Yang, Joyce Bao, Da Cabinet, Oude Waag, Caroline Hu

What trend will matter in six months? Tactile, narrative-driven materials — I see a shift away from the polished surfaces of mass industrial production toward more raw, unrefined fabrics that carry a sense of time and imperfection — “rough” yet authentic, and closely tied to a brand’s core narrative.

There’s also a greater emphasis on fluidity in tailoring and on exploring the spatial relationship between garment and body — silhouette and proportions are no longer the sole focus.

What’s a pass? Excessive layering and arbitrary, highly saturated colorblocking — a kind of “visual noise” that lacks depth and aesthetic rigor. Experimental, structural tailoring that exists only on social media, unable to translate into everyday wear.

Budgets up, down or flat? Slightly up.

Where are you increasing spend, or being more cautious? Investment in accessories is increasing, while the bar for introducing new brands has become more stringent. We place greater scrutiny on whether a brand possesses aesthetic independence and a coherent design language.

Any categories in which you will place a deeper buy this season? Knitwear.

New discoveries or emerging brand buys? Da Cabinet

What show best met the moment? Samuel Gui Yang

Did you feel any “vibe shift” this season? The focus on visual presentation is shifting toward internal exploration. For consumers, it’s an elimination process.

If you could sum up the season in one word: A Chinese proverb — real gold remains after tides have washed the sands away.

Ramu Kim, buyer, Nubian Tokyo

Favorite collections: Feng Chen Wang, Mark Gong, Yvmin, Shushu/Tong, Xu Zhi

What trend will matter in six months? I believe the upcoming trend will be a combination of a slightly rebellious vibe with a luxurious feel.

What’s a pass? On the other hand, overly minimalistic or safe designs are likely to receive less attention this season.

Budgets up, down or flat? Budgets are likely to increase, as we plan to invest in key categories to strengthen differentiation and impact.

Where are you increasing spend, or being more cautious? We are increasing spend on bags, shoes, and accessories, focusing on pieces with strong impact. For tops and apparel, we are approaching more cautiously to offer a variety of styles without overextending.

Any categories in which you will place a deeper buy this season? This season, we plan to invest more heavily in bags, shoes and accessories, as these categories provide versatility and strong impact.

New discoveries or emerging brand buys? Xu Zhi.

What show best met the moment? I think the Feng Chen Wang show best captured the season. It seamlessly combined music, art and fashion, delivering the brand’s 10-year history in a powerful presentation. It was especially meaningful as it marked the launch of their first womenswear line.

Did you feel any “vibe shift” this season? This season, brand codes felt more diverse and the designs more daring and bold. Experimental approaches in silhouettes, materials and layering increased, resulting in more expressive, standout pieces.

If you could sum up the season in one word: Boldness.

Caterina Ercoli, Senior Buyer, Antonioli Group

Favorite collections: Yayi, Macro Senses, EP Yaying, Shushu/Tong, and Mark Gong.

What trends will matter in 6 months? What is a pass? Key trends will include sexy silhouettes, New Romanticism, dropped waists, and power shoulders. Minimalism is starting to pass, becoming more of a permanent style than a current trend.

Budgets: Flat compared to spring 2026.

Where are you increasing spend or being more cautious? Rather than being cautious, we are buying more selectively and focusing on building long-term partnerships with brands.

Any categories in which you will place a deeper buy this season? Shirts, tops, coats, and shoes.

Did you feel any “vibe shift” this season? Yes, a shift from effortless luxury toward sexier, more romantic vibes.

The season in one word: Consolidation.

– With contributions from Tianwei Zhang, London