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Shanghai Fashion Week’s (SHFW) Spring/Summer 2026 edition signals a new stage of growth for the event. The provisional schedule, released on Monday, features an expanded line-up of global names alongside homegrown labels celebrating anniversaries.
Running from 9 to 16 October, this season will feature more than 100 shows, slightly exceeding last year’s count. Trade show Ontimeshow and showrooms including Tube, Lab and Not will continue their participation. SHFW’s own trade show, Mode, will also return.
But challenges remain: independent designers still struggle to convert cultural cachet into commercial relevance, while the broader luxury and fashion market continues to face headwinds from a sluggish economic recovery. The SS26 schedule, however, does underscore Shanghai’s ambition to be both a launchpad for Asian talent and a proving ground for China’s creative power.
This season marks significant anniversaries for independent Chinese designers who have grown alongside the fashion week’s rise. Labelhood, an incubator platform launched in 2016, celebrates its 20th season. Homegrown labels such as Shushu/Tong, Xu Zhi, Mark Gong and Yirantian are each commemorating the 10-year milestone with runway shows. This season, SHFW will also debut the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association (SFDA) New Wave Awards, an initiative spotlighting the next generation of creative directors, coupled with an evening gala to strengthen the industry network.
