Shanghai Fashion Week breaks into global top four

​International buyers gather at the EP Yaying showroom during the 2026 Shanghai Fashion Week. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]

Shanghai has further cemented its status as an international fashion hub, with Shanghai Fashion Week rising to fourth place among eight major global fashion weeks, according to a newly published report.

The Global Fashion Industry Index — Fashion Week Vitality Index (2025) report, released on April 2 by the China Economic Information Service of Xinhua News Agency, evaluates fashion week vitality across four dimensions: resource concentration, media exposure, industry influence, and commercial activity.

According to the report, Shanghai Fashion Week scored 0.7485, ranking fourth worldwide and surpassing New York Fashion Week, which is one of the traditional "Big Four". It ranked among the top four in three major indicators and third in another.

In recent years, Shanghai Fashion Week has expanded in scale while refining its operating model, with increasing participation from international brands. Core trade platforms such as Ontimeshow and Mode have continued to mature, strengthening Shanghai's position in the global fashion industry.

According to the report, Shanghai Fashion Week has made strides across multiple fronts. It ranked first in the number of participating designers. The number of trade brands reached 1,217, second only to Paris Fashion Week, while the number of digital trade platforms stood at seven, the highest among all sample fashion weeks.

Qi Fangfang, vice-president of the Xinhua Indices Institute, said fashion weeks are evolving from brand-focused runway platforms into comprehensive industry hubs.

Driven by digitalization, innovation, and commercialization, Shanghai Fashion Week has become a leading example of innovation among Asia's fashion weeks, she added.

As part of Shanghai's modern industrial system, fashion-related consumption, including apparel and cosmetics, accounted for nearly 40 percent of the city's total retail sales in 2025.

The report also highlights the formation of an international fashion cluster in Shanghai, comprising core commercial districts, emerging functional zones, and cultural areas.

Around 70 creative industrial parks across the city host design and creative institutions from more than 30 countries and regions. These clusters function not only as retail spaces but also as platforms for global brand showcases, the development of original Chinese design, and international cultural exchange.

The report concludes that Shanghai's fashion industry is transitioning from a retail-driven model to an integrated ecosystem that combines design, branding, channels, and consumption. Through platforms such as Shanghai Fashion Week, Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season, and Shanghai Global New Products Debut Season, the fashion industry is becoming more deeply intertwined with the city's broader consumption landscape.