Prada’s return to the Chinese runway: how the luxury fashion brand navigated strict Covid-19 rules to bring the first in-person fashion show of 2022 to Beijing

Aug 8 , 2022

Prada became the first luxury brand to host a fashion show in China in 2022, on August 5. Photo: Prada

Fashionistas turned out in force as the Italian luxury brand showed its men’s and women’s autumn/winter 2022-23 collections – especially with A-lister Cai Xukun as brand ambassador

Fashion shows by the likes of Louis Vuitton and Dior were commonplace in China, but not so with its ‘dynamic zero Covid-19 policy’ and related restrictions

Prada on Friday, August 5, became the first major luxury house to host a show in China this year, navigating strict Covid-19 curbs to send models down a catwalk in a historic Beijing mansion hotel, a move aimed at underscoring its commitment to the market.

Live-streamed on multiple online platforms including Weibo, more than 400 celebrities and customers attended the event held by the Italian group in the Prince Jun’s Mansion Hotel, where it showcased its men and women’s autumn and winter collections.

A man walks past a store of Italian luxury brand Prada on a shopping street in Beijing, China, in January 2021. Photo: Reuters

Shows in Chinese cities by global luxury giants, from Prada to LVMH’s Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, used to be a familiar sight and continued even in 2020 and 2021 after China curbed the spread of the virus relatively quickly thanks to tough border curbs.

But much has changed in 2022 with China’s continued insistence on a “dynamic zero Covid-19” policy that uses harsh measures to cut any virus transmission chain, even as the rest of the world opens up in the face of infectious Omicron variants.

Since the start of the year, several cities including China’s commercial capital of Shanghai have undergone draconian lockdowns and much of the country’s population is now required to undergo regular Covid-19 testing. These measures have bred uncertainty that has hit both the economy and consumer confidence.

To attend Prada’s event, guests had to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours and masks were mandatory for all attendees indoors except the models stomping along the catwalk.

Those flying in from other Chinese cities also had to comply with Beijing’s testing requirements for domestic travellers.

A model wears a look from Prada’s women’s autumn/winter 2022-23 show, in Beijing, China, on August 5. Photo: Prada

“[This event] is a key statement for the brand, especially in this moment where first mover advantage will be seen as more powerful and significant than before,” said Kim Leitzes, APAC managing director of data provider Launchmetrics.