Shanghai Fashion Week SS27: Five key trends of the season

Shanghai Fashion Week showcased how effortlessly the Chinese design scene now participates in the international fashion dialogue. Notably, many looks paid tribute to European houses. Miu Miu's playful schoolgirl aesthetic, Prada's intellectually subversive elegance and Chloé's romantic lightness reappeared alongside traces of Jonathan Anderson's Dior signature. Instead of copying, many labels treated these inspirations as a starting point. They combined them with their own materials, cuts and cultural references, translating them into a distinct design language that reads more as homage than imitation.

Furthermore, the allure of Y2K remained unbroken, shaping the season with low-slung silhouettes, glitter and pastel shades. Underwear as outerwear has also lost none of its appeal. Lace trims, bralettes and slip dresses continued to be styled effortlessly as a visible outer layer. Five trends made this blend of reference and originality particularly clear.

Bloomers

Bloomers, the gathered puff shorts hemmed at the leg opening and long known strictly as underwear, stepped confidently into the spotlight in Shanghai. At Xiaoli and Xu Zhi, shorts featuring lace edges and drawstrings were paired with broderie blouses and crochet tops for a delicate, nostalgic feel. The balloon-like volumes lent the looks a playful character, further emphasised by lace-up sandals and ankle-high boots.

Markgong translated the concept in its own way. Sheer turquoise bloomers with a ruffled feather hem met a plunging black waistcoat and flat lace-up shoes, giving the look a playful, almost childlike irreverence. Consequently, the underwear piece became an example of how nostalgia and Y2K freshness can converge.

Cargos

In Shanghai, cargo details were liberated from their pure functionality and combined with a strong sense of femininity. At Avvenn, a knee-length olive green cargo skirt and a lace-trimmed camisole top met glittering ballet flats in an interplay of utility and delicacy. At Xu Zhi, wide khaki cargo shorts were paired with a mint-coloured puff-sleeve top featuring floral embroidery and ribbon ties, adding a romantic contrast to the look.

Markgong took this a step further. The label combined bright red Bermuda shorts featuring patch pockets with a pink double-breasted jacket, which was playfully subverted by a fluffy feather collar and a visible bra. Paired with patent-style lace-up shoes and a small pouch, the shorts looked less like workwear and more like a statement piece.

Emphasised hips

Hips were the focal point at Shushutong, Markgong and Xu Zhi, achieved less through constriction and more through volume. At Shushutong, a white miniskirt with a flared flounce sat low on the hips and was accentuated with a belt. Paired with a cropped jumper featuring daisies, pulled-up knee-high socks and a headband, the ensemble carried a playful schoolgirl note.

At Xu Zhi, the silhouette was created by a white dress with a dropped waist, lace trim and a flared skirt section. Markgong, by contrast, opted for a cream-coloured blazer with broad shoulders and a pleated, swinging skirt with an upturned hem.

Pastel shades

Pastel shades ran through the collections of Huamushen, Awaylee and Markgong, representing a romantic, dreamy side of the season. At Huamushen and Awaylee, mint green, sky blue and pink appeared on tops with Mandarin collars and frog closures, referencing traditional Chinese cuts. Sequins, beadwork and three-dimensional embroidered lotus flowers gave them a delicate, almost sculptural note, while bubble-hem skirts and flowing satin trousers lent lightness to the looks.

Underwear as outerwear

At Shao, bras were openly declared as tops. A black underwired bra with a fine lace edge was worn beneath an open pinstripe waistcoat, contrasting with a low-slung, asymmetrically cut skirt in the same fabric. The bra as an outer layer also appeared elsewhere, such as at Markgong, where it peeked out from beneath blazers. This trend demonstrates that underwear as outerwear is far from losing its appeal.