Fashion week makes history by going digital

Models present Le Fame's new collection that was launched online during the 2020 autumn/winter Shanghai Fashion Week on March 26.[Photo provided to China Daily]

On March 26, after two weeks of preparation, Le Fame completed its first "cloud launching" fashion show which was themed around retro aesthetics reminiscent of 1960s Shanghai.

Following the 30-minute fashion show was a three-hour livestream that drew 200,000 viewers. The livestream featured segments where an anchor introduced the brand and the new collection and well-known fashion bloggers discussed such topics as aesthetics, fashion concepts and their thoughts on brands like Le Fame that feature traditional Chinese elements.

"Brands have different purposes for online shows. We are not positioned to drive sales but rather to promote the concept of our brand so as to link online with offline, in turn boosting the brand's development," Su says.

"I've also found that livestreaming can forge a closer connection with customers."

This year, SHFW teamed up with Alibaba's online marketplace Tmall to showcase its latest autumn/winter collections online. Over 20 brands broadcast their runway shows on the platform every day from March 24 to 30. This initiative meant that SHFW is the first fashion week in the world to be completely held in the digital realm.