Fashion Scout China Launch Accompanied by Controversy

Fashion Scout China, a platform for new fashion talent modelled on the British institution, launched in Changshu yesterday. The event will see 23 fashion shows, five forums and a showroom run through May 24. Chinese designer brands, including C.J. Yao, Dumpty and Gaia Z-Sense, a diffusion line of Heaven Gaia, are all slated to show.

The event has attracted the attention of local government officials, industry players and consumers with a wide-ranging marketing campaign that boasted of its affiliation with London Fashion Week. Today, a statement released by the British Fashion Council (BFC) clarified that the event has nothing to do with the Council or London Fashion Week.

When contacted by BoF for comment, Fashion Scout China organisers admitted their event was “modelled on Fashion Scout in London” but “has no affiliation to the British Fashion Council or London Fashion Week.”

Though Changshu might seem an odd choice for such an event, not enjoying the same level of international fashion clout as its near-neighbour, Shanghai, it is a wealthy city with a population of more than 1.5 million, and is also an important base for China’s textile and apparel industry. The local industry includes more than 20,000 related companies and industry sales of more than 130 billion yuan ($21.21 billion) in 2019. Changshu’s most famous local brand is Bosideng, a major player in China’s massive down coat market.