From Bangkok to Xiamen: Thai designers' collective debut redefines Asia's aesthetic discourse through strategic partnership

The project, themed “From Bangkok to Xiamen”, launched a collective debut for Thai designers during this year's Xiamen International Fashion Week (XMIFW), signifying the city's ambition to be an international consumption hub city.

Xiamen's unique assets, including its overseas Chinese heritage, open business culture, and influence on consumers throughout southern China, have created the essential foundation for emerging international brands to efficiently enter the Chinese market.

From October 16 to 19,

The backbone behind XMIFW's presentation of this project is its decade-long commitment to building an “industrial interface” capability. The system is based on the long-term operation of the “Ru Shi” (入时) design platform and the “How How Hub” (好好市场) physical space. It integrates multi-dimensional resources, including top-level brand collaborations, authoritative media support, and high-level industry forums, collectively forming a complete business value chain.

Crucially, the event was consolidated with the official signing of a memorandum of understanding between the fashion week organizer, FN China, and Quated Company, an authorized and internationally influential fashion industry incubation project initiated by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce of Thailand. As a direct result, Xiamen and Bangkok will act as essential partnership centers for accessing each other's fashion markets, leveraging their resources to intensify engagement between all fashion players, from designers to consumers, and ensuring mutual benefit through cultural appreciation and business co-creation.

“Xiamen has a unique three-dimensional strategic value for Thai brands entering the Chinese market: platform empowerment, market validation and regional radiation,” said Lin Ru, secretary general of Xiamen International Fashion Week.

“Xiamen's distinctive culture fosters a high degree of acceptance of creative Thai designs. Crucially, our comprehensive and advanced fashion supply chain fully empowers Thai brands by consolidating media, channels and resources to facilitate everything from display and market testing to commercial realization. Based here, brands are also strategically positioned to efficiently radiate to major consumption centers in China.”

Dr. Anothai Cholachatpinyo, director of the Thai design platform, explains that Quated's advantage is its commitment to “real market validation.”

Brands are tested for commercial viability in major local retail environments, such as IconCraft and Style Bangkok, before being successfully pushed to international platforms, including Tokyo Jumble, Paris Who's Next and New York Fashion Week. And he also indicated that Quated is not a mere incubator; It is a “world-renowned launch platform.” It systematically prepares Thai brands for the global stage by combining design innovation with sharp business strategy.

Thai fashion design is rapidly advancing from a regional force to a new voice that the global community cannot ignore. At the same time, Thai celebrities have unequivocally become an influential power on the international fashion scene. The luxury sector has fully embraced this change, recognizing the documented persuasive power of stars and their broad reach to new audiences.

Consequently, major fashion houses such as Prada, Louis Vuitton and Gucci are actively appointing well-known Thai figures as brand ambassadors, a move that significantly increases the international prominence and visibility of Thai fashion.

The 11 Thai brands made their first entry into the Xiamen consumer market at the pop-up store located at 'HOW HOW HUB' on Zhongshan Road, and the brand's acceptance among local tastemakers turned out to be much higher than anticipated.

A seminar on the China-Thai fashion industry was also held, where both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as design innovation and supply chain collaboration. The conference showcased concepts for sustainable cooperation, including establishing a 'Thai Designer Exchange Center in Xiamen' and transitioning from 'temporary stores to permanent residence', reaching interesting consensus on mechanisms such as two-way mutual visits and mutual brand assistance.

Going forward, XMIFW is positioned to offer any international brand seeking to enter the Chinese market a comprehensive solution that systematically elevates their visibility, professional credibility and business potential. This includes providing emerging brands with a “Minimum Viable Test” (MVT) loop, a closed system that encompasses everything from immediate sales and direct consumer feedback to the pooling of supply chain resources. For newcomers to the market, the core value of this system lies in significantly lowering the barrier to entry and reducing trial and error costs.

And finally, just before the 11 designers returned to Thailand, FashionNetwork.com had the opportunity to speak with them directly to hear their immediate reflections on the experience.

FashionNetwork.com: Since this is your first exhibition here, what are your initial thoughts on the Chinese/Xiamen market? What specific expectations or goals do you have for entering the Chinese consumer space?

Balc: We hope to quickly build brand loyalty by directly addressing the needs of our target customers and transforming our sincere hope for expansion into a tangible reality.

Big Foot: We would like to have a deeper understanding of Chinese consumers – their needs, preferences and lifestyle inspirations – which will guide us in developing products and experiences that truly resonate.

BlackSugar: We see great potential in the Chinese market: the scale, the curiosity and the openness to new aesthetics. After completing the show, it gave us a great feeling of confidence. The audience's warm response encouraged us to refine some details in our design and presentation to better connect with Chinese consumers while staying true to BlackSugar's identity.

Bono Brand: We hope to connect with conscious consumers who value craftsmanship, honesty and sustainability, to build long-term collaborations with local partners who share the same vision of a better and more responsible world.

Capthai: We believe that to enter a new market, we must act locally: understand people's lifestyle, their fashion sense and what really inspires them. We are here to learn, connect and share our story with this inspiring city.

Collector's Project: With a vibrant atmosphere, I believe my creations will be well received by the Xiamen audience and open up new opportunities within this distinctive market.

Maison Wonder Anatomie: For this exhibition, I hope to present a collection that reflects Thai culture and I hope it will attract Chinese customers, creating more business opportunities and helping us expand our market to reach a broader target audience.

Homrak: The Chinese market has long been known for its appreciation of craftsmanship and meaningful design. I believe these values ​​resonate strongly with the Chinese sense of harmony, authenticity and appreciation for craftsmanship. I hope this opportunity opens a path for creative exchange, cultural dialogue and mutual learning between Thailand and China.

Mormormor: We are looking to gradually explore the Chinese market and hope to build brand recognition so that people can identify our designs as uniquely ours. We are also interested in testing online sales through local platforms.

Mujil: Our goal in entering the Chinese market is to connect with consumers who value craftsmanship, authenticity and meaningful stories behind what they wear or use. We hope to engage in meaningful exchanges, both B2B and B2C, and explore partnerships with Chinese designers, retailers and cultural spaces to unite our cultures through creativity and craftsmanship.

Saamu: We see the Chinese market as very sophisticated, people here love design that has soul. Saamu's story about Thai crafts and culture fits perfectly with that mindset. Our goal is to build a cultural connection, not just a commercial one.