Just like dynastic rulers, affluent Chinese Gen Zers want dragons and phoenixes to adorn their jewellery. Extravagant and ornate, gufajin – gold fashioned in ancient Chinese designs – is making a domestic comeback, from revenge-spending Chinese women to Gen Zers. Gufajin pieces are characterised by 24k gold, jade, and silk, often featuring legendary creatures from Chinese mythology. According to Chow Tai Fook – known as the Chinese Tiffany’s – Gen Yers and Zers accounted for more than 56% of sales for its heritage collection in 2021.“Gen Zers like different types of jewellery. Their preference for the design of Chinese cultural elements could also rise during times of high international tensions,” says Dr. Xianchi Dai, associate professor of marketing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

While home-grown labels such as Erdos and Shang Xia instill a sense of national pride among shoppers, the once-derogatory ‘made in China’ is being reclaimed as a hallmark of artisanship. As such, guochao is evolving past being a fleeting craze, and into a must-have when it comes to Gen Zers’ shopping habits. While numerous brands continue to lean into guochao, it’s important to celebrate and draw out the nuances of a 5,000-year rich heritage, rather than reinforcing cultural clichés. Dior is a good leader in this space, with a menswear collection that pays homage to an ancient embroidery technique using seeds, while spotlighting the Chinese Zodiac and traditional fan designs.