Why Shang Xia is known as the ‘Chinese Hermès’: the fashion brand merges cultural tradition and innovation and is already loved by celebrities, but will it ever be as investment-worthy as the Birkin?
- Hermès is known for its highly sought-after Birkin handbags, so when it launched Shang Xia with Chinese designer Jiang Qiong-er in 2010, experts were curious to see how the brand would fare
- Shang Xia is focused on bringing Chinese traditional craftsmanship to the global stage, and with celeb fans from Amelia Gray Hamlin to Lucia Liu and a recent showing at PFW, it’s well on its way
Shang Xia is one of the few luxury Chinese fashion brands that has managed to successfully position itself in the international market.
As reported by Forbes, it’s always been challenging for independent designers in Shanghai and Beijing to reach the global stage or succeed on the same scale as their Western counterparts, but for internationally supported brands like Richemont-owned Shanghai Tang and Hermès-backed Shang Xia, the transition can be much smoother.
Here’s everything you need to know about Shang Xia.
Why is Shang Xia called the “Chinese Hermès”?
Shang Xia – which translates as “above/below” or “up/down” – was launched as a joint collaboration between Hermès Group and Chinese designer Jiang Qiong-er in 2010.
“Shang Xia will be an authentic fashion house, with a style, material and know-how that is anchored in Chinese culture,” said Patrick Thomas, manager of Hermès International, at the time of its debut.
