Season after season, Paris Fashion Week attracts brands from all corners of the globe, far beyond the traditional Western capitals. Long confined to reductive clichés, the contemporary Chinese fashion scene is now asserting itself as one of the richest creative hubs. In Paris, these brands show that China no longer merely produces fashion: it tells stories, experiments, and above all, redefines contemporary fashion.
A.A.Spectrum, chronicle of a collective memory
This season, the brand explores the peak of development in the 1990s and 2000s, a pivotal period in Chinese history marked by the country’s gradual opening to the West under the impetus of Deng Xiaoping. The collection presented in Paris combines references from the Western wardrobe with elements deeply rooted in Chinese culture.
At the collection presentation hosted at Gros Bao, the setting, a carefully recreated 1950s-1960s living room with patterned wallpaper, velvet and trinkets instantly suggests the time-frozen interiors familiar to several generations. The unisex silhouettes embrace a deliberately relaxed attitude: terracotta tracksuits set to be a key color this year—puffer jackets with multiple zips, and jackets detailed with metal toggle fastenings. A wardrobe designed for comfort, yet far from lacking in nuance.
Elywood, a tribute to enduring romanticism
In collaboration with the Parisian concept store Aesavant, known for championing the Asian creative scene, Elywood unveiled its cruise collection in a consistently poetic vein. The brand’s world is romantic, almost dreamlike, carried by a fully embraced bohemian spirit.
The house prioritizes the use of recycled materials, grounding its approach in a responsible mindset. Its color palette is deliberately restrained: a foundation of black and white, enhanced with neutral tones that give the collection an immediate sense of cohesion.
Behind Elywood stands a collective of designers who fully embrace their individuality: each piece is signed with the initials of its creator on the label, highlighting a rare approach in an industry often dominated by a single figure.
Feng Chen Wang, balance as the founding principle
With her AW26 collection, Feng Chen Wang continues to delve into Chinese philosophies, drawing on the concept of Liang Yi. A martial art rooted in the harmony between opposing forces, speed and stillness. This search for balance runs through the entire wardrobe unveiled this season.
The silhouettes play with contrasts: printed denim paired with faux fur, structured tailoring softened by more organic textures, delicate silk set against technical fabrics. Each piece feels conceived as a meeting point between two worlds.
The message is also conveyed through the staging. By having dogs walk alongside the models, the designer gives form to the idea of a peaceful coexistence between humans and animals, extending her reflection on harmony between living beings and their environment.
Sean Suen, clothing as an extension of the individual
Originally from Beijing, Sean Suen celebrates a decade in Paris this season. Titled Second Skin, the collection takes an introspective approach to menswear tailoring. Presented through a black-and-white lookbook, the wardrobe places the emphasis on the precision of cuts and volumes.
Strong shoulders, raised collars, cropped jackets, deliberately visible shirt sleeves: every detail contributes to an almost architectural construction. The garments are conceived as protective layers, successive shells that follow the body without ever erasing it.
At Sean Suen, man and garment do not merge to the point of disappearing into one another. On the contrary, the individual asserts his presence, occupying space while remaining in dialogue with the material.
Ziggy Chen or the art of tailoring in ruins
In the heart of Paris’s 8th district, inside a Protestant church with a monumental organ, Ziggy Chen unveiled his FW26 collection titled DISSPARITION. A solemn setting for a wardrobe that evokes a world held in suspension.
The brand’s signature is instantly recognizable: a blurred, post-apocalyptic take on tailoring. Built through layers, the silhouettes seem to take shape before the viewer’s eyes. Despite the accumulation, the use of natural fibers preserves a lightness that makes the whole feel surprisingly airy.
Neutral, cool-toned hues, deliberately weathered effects and imperfect volumes tell the story of garments steeped in history, yet oriented toward an uncertain future. A coat with buttons placed on the back and worn off one shoulder embodies this desire to reveal imperfection.
Far from lingering stereotypes, these designers put forward complex narratives shaped by history, philosophy and ongoing experimentation. Whether firmly established or still operating on the margins of official circuits, these houses play an active role in reshaping the Parisian fashion landscape.
