CHIC Autumn 2026: 12 years at the heart of China’s fashion industry

From 25 to 27 August 2026, CHIC Autumn once again brings the fashion industry together in Shanghai. With 738 exhibitors across 53,000 sqm of exhibition space and more than 60,000 trade visitors expected, the China International Fashion Fair provides a comprehensive view of a market in motion – from established industry leaders and emerging brands to new retail concepts, digital solutions and changing consumer trends.

This year also marks a milestone: 12 years of CHIC in Shanghai – 12 years at the heart of China’s fashion industry.

For more than a decade, CHIC has been connecting brands, buyers, designers, manufacturers and industry professionals from China and around the world. These twelve years have been shaped by fashion and business, new ideas and international connections – but also by profound change, growth and new opportunities. During this period, China’s fashion market has evolved rapidly: new brands and business models have emerged, digitalisation and technological innovation have transformed the industry, and Chinese design has gained increasing visibility and confidence both at home and internationally.

This edition looks back on 12 years of CHIC in Shanghai – and ahead to the future.

As an “Innovation and Integration Platform for Apparel Industry Supply Chains”, CHIC is reflecting the changing requirements of the industry. More than a traditional trade fair, CHIC connects different stages and players across the apparel value chain, creating a platform for brands, manufacturers, designers, buyers and retailers to meet, exchange ideas and develop new business.

Eleven Segments Reflect a Changing Market

A total of eleven segments and areas structure CHIC Autumn 2026: CHIC SELECTED, CHIC Accessories/Footwear/Bags, CHIC Men’s, Denim World, CHIC Winter’s, Outdoor & Sports, CHIC Impulses, CHIC Worldwide, Digital Fashion, CHIC Women’s and Chinese Style.

Together, they cover key areas of the apparel and fashion market while addressing developments ranging from digitalisation and new brand concepts to evolving consumer preferences.

One of the most significant new features this season is Chinese Style. For the first time at an autumn edition of CHIC, Chinese-style fashion will have its own dedicated area – a response to the rapidly growing popularity and commercial relevance of the segment. Traditional Chinese aesthetics, cultural references and craftsmanship are increasingly being reinterpreted by a new generation of designers and brands and translated into contemporary, market-oriented fashion.

The new area underlines the growing self-confidence of Chinese fashion and the increasing importance of a distinctive design identity within the domestic market.

International Brands Meet the Chinese Market

International exchange has been an integral part of CHIC’s development. At the 2026 autumn edition, exhibitors from Italy, the UAE, Korea, Japan and India underline the international scope of the fair.

Participating brands include ANNECLAIRE, EUROPEAN CULTURE, FRANCO GIAZZI, BLUKEY, LUISELLA MARIANI and STEFANO GHILARDI from Italy, as well as uncharted aesthetic quest from Korea.

Through CHIC Worldwide, international companies gain a platform to explore opportunities in the Chinese market, meet potential partners and establish contacts with buyers and retailers. At the same time, CHIC increasingly serves as a showcase for Chinese brands with international ambitions – making the fair a two-way bridge between China and the global fashion industry.

From Traditional Craftsmanship to Intelligent Manufacturing

The diversity of today’s Chinese fashion industry is reflected in the brands and companies exhibiting across the different CHIC segments.

SAINT JOY, exhibiting at CHIC SELECTED, is a leading enterprise in the silk industry, specialising in high-end products made from Song brocade, ranging from garments to bags, luggage and home textiles. More than one hundred of its products have been selected as national diplomatic gifts.

At CHIC Women’s, SIGO represents expertise in the high-end women’s trousers ODM sector. The company has built its competitive strength around three core pillars: premium fabrics, original design and intelligent manufacturing.

MAY D.WANG, exhibiting at CHIC Impulses, represents a new generation of Chinese fashion brands. Guided by its “New Cashmereism” philosophy, the label creates a free-spirited and youthful interpretation of Eastern light luxury. The brand opened its first London store in 2018.

In the accessories segment, ZIVGREY has established a physical retail presence in Chengdu, Chongqing and Wuhan and secured locations in premium chain shopping malls across these cities.

From heritage craftsmanship and specialised manufacturing to intelligent production and internationally oriented fashion concepts, these companies demonstrate the breadth of the industry that CHIC has accompanied and connected throughout its twelve years in Shanghai.

CHIC Matching: From Contacts to Concrete Business Opportunities

Business remains at the core of CHIC. On 25 and 26 August, four dedicated Commerce and Trade Matchmaking events in Hall 2.1 create targeted opportunities for brands, buyers and potential business partners to connect.

The programme starts on 25 August with the Fashion Business Brand Matchmaking Fair, followed in the afternoon by the Taobao Apparel Brand Matchmaking Fair. On 26 August, the international dimension moves into focus with two sessions of the Overseas Apparel Brand Business Matchmaking Fair.

With dedicated formats for fashion brands, e-commerce and international business, the matchmaking programme reflects CHIC’s role as an integration platform for the fashion supply chain – turning contacts made at the fair into concrete opportunities for cooperation and business.

Eight Business Trend Sessions: From AI and E-Commerce to Global Expansion

Knowledge exchange is another focus of CHIC Autumn 2026, with eight business trend sessions on 25 and 26 August addressing key developments in the apparel industry. Topics range from AI-powered fashion design, digital transformation and new e-commerce models to international market expansion.

Among them the session with ABOUT YOU, exploring the challenges and opportunities for fashion brands expanding internationally through pan-European fashion e-commerce. The programme also examines future growth potential and the importance of compliance for the global expansion of China’s apparel industry.

Interactive Experiences: Chinese Craftsmanship Meets Fashion

The supporting programme also brings visitors closer to Chinese culture, craftsmanship and the consumer-facing side of fashion. From 25 to 27 August, interactive formats include the “Colorful Sweet OOTD Street-style Shooting”, the “Sweet Detective CHIC · Stamp Hunt for Gifts” and “Discover Colors · Follow Us for Gifts”. On 25 and 26 August, an on-site fashion blogger recruitment programme adds a digital and social-media dimension to the event.

Traditional Chinese craftsmanship is highlighted through “Master Ma’s Craft · Tales of Coiled-Flower Ornaments and Brocade” and an Intangible Cultural Heritage Chinese Coiled-flower Frog Hand-making Experience – complementing the stronger presence of Chinese Style at this year’s autumn edition.

Innovation Across the Supply Chain

Digitalisation, technological innovation, new production models and the increasing integration of different stages of the value chain are transforming China’s apparel industry. Through Digital Fashion, the business trend programme and its overarching focus on innovation and integration, CHIC addresses these developments across the fashion supply chain.

CHIC Autumn 2026 places its emphasis on the broader transformation of the industry: digitalisation, AI, intelligent manufacturing, new e-commerce models, internationalisation and more integrated apparel supply chains.

12 Years of Change – and What Comes Next

Looking back at twelve years of CHIC in Shanghai means looking back at twelve years of transformation in China’s fashion industry. Consumer behaviour has changed, digital retail has become an integral part of the market, technology is reshaping production and distribution, and a new generation of Chinese designers and brands is developing its own identity and increasingly looking beyond the domestic market.

CHIC has evolved alongside these changes. Its role today is not simply to reflect the market, but to bring together the people, ideas and businesses shaping its next stage. With 738 exhibitors, eleven segments and more than 60,000 expected trade visitors, CHIC Autumn 2026 demonstrates the scale, diversity and momentum of the Chinese fashion market.

Twelve years of fashion in Shanghai. Twelve years of business. Twelve years of new ideas and international connections. And, above all, twelve years of change, growth and opportunity.

From 25 to 27 August 2026, CHIC in Shanghai looks back at the journey – and ahead what comes next.

Next date

• CHIC Spring: March 10-12, 2027, National Exhibiton & Convention Center, Shanghai