Young consumers fall in love with China chic products

"You can see one red seal engraved with four traditional characters 'China Li-Ning' on the hoodie, which brings a retro feel and is also quite sporty," Hu said. He is a big fan of Li-Ning, a leading sports brand in China. "Walking on the streets of Paris in this hoodie is super cool," he said.

According to 2021 Generation Z Consumption Trend Report in New First-tier Cities released by 21st Century Economic Research Institute, 43 percent of Generation Z (the people born between 1995 and 2009) prefer the fusion of China chic and local brands.

"It is because the Chinese character 'China Li-Ning' represents a kind of recognition of our country and culture, and it is also eye-catching," Wang said. The younger consumers today are eager to build up identities, compared with the elder generations. Therefore, the China chic products meet their needs, making them more noticeable in public.

"China's national strength is increasing, and the culture soft power is also on the rise. In this background, the younger generation in China is willing to build this sense of cultural recognition, showing their differences with other social groups," Wang added.

In the past, "Made in China" products just met people's physical needs; but now, as a recreation of Chinese culture, "Made in China" products also cater for people's spiritual demand, Wang said. "We still have a long way to go to carry forward this China chic. But as it has become a part of people's life, we can see that there will be diverse China chic products conveying Chinese charm in the future."