JD.com and BFC expand partnership, aim to elevate British and Asian designers

Chinese e-tailer JD.com has announced a new partnership with the British Fashion Council (BFC) that will see it become the official Asia online retail partner of London Fashion Week (LFW) September 2024, which kicked off September 12. Through the deal, the duo hope to enhance both the presence of British designers in the Chinese market while uplifting Chinese and Asian designers on a more global level.

The announcement comes just ahead of JD.com’s participation in LFW SS25, with the retailer currently preparing to host a show on September 15 where it will showcase emerging talent on the Jingdong Fashion ‘Red Journey’ catwalk. Among those presenting, with the show to be held at Somerset House, are that of Hazzys, Ellassay, Marisfrolg and Pure Tea.

In addition to this, JD.com will also continue to feature a dedicated LFW page on its app, which will run until October 3. In a release, the company emphasised its “sophisticated in-house supply chain and logistics network”, which it said delivers 90 percent of retail orders within 24 hours. The platform also already counts “over 90 percent of the world’s most recognised luxury brands” among its stock, with it adding that its “advanced e-commerce infrastructure and extensive consumer reach” could help British and global fashion brands navigate the “complexities of the Chinese market”.

BFC hopes to facilitate smooth cross-border collaborations and exposure to Chinese market

It is exactly this that drove Caroline Rush, CEO of the BFC, to secure such a deal, as she noted in a statement reading: “This partnership provides our emerging designers and brands with a platform that facilitates smoother collaborations across borders but also amplifies their exposure in the crucial Chinese market. We look forward to seeing what the partnership has in store and to working together to encourage continued collaboration between the UK and Chinese markets.”

In her own comment, president of Jingdong Fashion, Sherrin Kong, reaffirmed JD.com’s stance, adding: “By leveraging our robust supply chain capabilities, we are excited to deepen our partnerships and continue our role as a gateway connecting the global fashion community with Chinese consumers. This partnership with the BFC exemplifies our commitment to bringing a diverse array of global fashion perspectives to China and, in doing so, supporting the dynamic exchange of culture and innovation in fashion.”

In August, JD.com set out to expand its apparel business through an investment of one billion RMB (over 107 million pounds) with the goal of broadening and enhancing its range of fashion offerings, as well as boosting the presence of domestic and international brands. The move came as the retailer welcomed a 60 percent year-on-year increase in apparel and footwear brands since the beginning of 2024, with a further 200 percent uptick in third-party apparel merchants over the period.

This latest news further expands on the already long-running relationship between JD.com and BFC, which has been in motion and taken various forms over the years. Back in 2019, for example, the duo came together for a three-year strategic partnership through which JD.com supported LFW designers and events, already building on an existing partnership with which the Chinese giant backed the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and BFC/GQ Menswear Designer Fund.