A decade after its inception, fashion label Shang Xia is beginning a new chapter by handing the reins over to Yang Li, an emerging domestic talent with a strong presence in the West. The goal is to win over Chinese locals who are quickly gaining spending power in the luxury market.

With the pandemic forcing people to spend closer to home and heightened geopolitical tensions shining a spotlight on national identity, it’s no surprise that local brands are thriving in China. But how exactly are companies playing up their heritage? And what does ‘made in China’ now imply?

Nike, Burberry, and H&M are just a few examples of western brands that have landed themselves in hot water in China, resulting in boycotts, bans, and even being cancelled. As Chinese shoppers look local, Dior is hoping to appeal to increasingly patriotic consumers by embracing 'guochao'.

As China’s market matures, consumers are attaching great importance to commodities that not only meet their aesthetic demands, but their intellectual ones too. This is especially true of Chinese Gen Zers who are seeking products that fuel their patriotism by creatively merging the old with the new.