Gen Z Design on the Rise in China

Words by: Rice


Generation Z and Millennials are reinventing the face of design in China by bridging their international sensibilities with a deeper Chinese cultural awareness and taste.


Gen Z_Cover Left to right: Zhekai Zhang and Keren Wang, are co-founders of studio KAE; Crush Vase by studio KAE


Design was always considered a western-driven initiative in China. However attitudes are now shifting, particularly among younger generations. While Chinese consumers previously prized foreign items, paying more for items made elsewhere rather than “Made in China” mass-produced goods, many are now coveting luxury “Designed in China” products. From fashion, interior to product design, young Chinese consumers are transforming the luxury market as influential decision makers. While the booming economy and increasing luxury market continue to rise, Generation Z and Millennials are seeking out emerging Chinese designers to exert their national pride.


Homegrown Talent


The interest in contemporary Chinese design is also fueled by increasingly more talented designers that have completed their studies overseas and established their studios back in China. These emerging designers have developed their unique style by bridging their international sensibilities with a deeper Chinese cultural awareness and taste. These cultured designers in turn, have attracted a growing following of design lovers who are willing to choose national design brands to define their cultural identity and set themselves apart from their Western counterparts. They have a select appetite for fashion, art, interiors, and home decoration, and are willing to pay for designs they love from upcoming design brands. This budding trend still needs more time to grow if it wants to contend with major Western design brands, but confidence in young Chinese designers by local collectors and tastemakers continues to grow exponentially.


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Lunar collection by studio KAE


Generation Z Chinese designers, Zhekai Zhang and Keren Wang, are co-founders of Chinese design brand studio KAE. They returned to Shanghai to launch their signature brand upon graduating from Royal College of Art in London. Respecting the power of nature is one of studio KAE’s key design principles. For instance, the Crush collection series of flower vases draw inspiration from Parasol trees growing in The French Concession in Shanghai. Studio KAE designed the Crush collection hoping to capture the romance of the area and the organic character of the iconic Shanghainese trees in their design.


Creatives Supporting Creators


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Left to right: Geometry Lattice Ceramic Glaze Panel by Tong Xindi; Tong Xindi and Shen Ting


Artistic couple Tong Xindi and Shen Ting, a duo specialized in glazed painting from Hangzhou, are a foreign-educated young couple who invest in local Chinese design talent. As a young consumer, Shen seeks out goods that meet her aesthetic tastes and are also functional. She is keeping a lookout for new Chinese brands and rising design stars. Most of the furniture brands the couple have collected, including Pusu and Mumo, are made locally in Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. These regional brands have an expertise in crafting items made from natural blonde woods, while designing pieces that express an elegant Chinese look and feel.


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Furniture brand Fnji. Photo credit: Fnji


Chinese buyers are now also mixing and matching interior designs for an East-meets-West aesthetic. Local brands are catching on and collaborating with overseas designers. Xiamen-based Chinese furniture brand Fnji launched its latest immersive exhibition called “+Motion”, which collaborated with fragrance brand Le Labo on the cross-over project to raise awareness among more Generation Z Chinese buyers.


Collector’s Viewpoint


In China, many design collectors are still focused on Mid-Century Modern furnishings, with novices collecting key pieces from collection brands such as Cassina and Vitra. For more experienced collectors, there’s a newfound interest in discovering local Chinese talent and oeuvres to add to their curated homes.


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Interior designer, Yan Zongxuan


“The design industry in China has been diversified with more young designers from different backgrounds recently,” says Yan Zongxuan, a prominent Beijing-based interior design collector. Yan is the founder of Beijing-based interior brand Maison Fransco and has been recognized as one of the most promising young interior designers in China.  Yan’s personal tastes and style is eclectic and diverse, and she’s always on the lookout for new young design trends emerging from across China. She is presently curating her third apartment with her collection of designer objets. Yan sees her peers in China as true visionaries, with many individuals blurring the lines between industrial, interior and product design, as well as art. “In China’s design scene, there are established names such as Frank Chou, Mario Tsai, as well as interior designers like Steven Yeung and contemporary artist Danful Yang."


"Many people are multi-disciplinary, and they are all well-received and very involved in elevating the status of Chinese design. Among young designers, the group is diverse, and each designer has their own followers and niche markets.”


For Gen Z designers, outstanding story telling skills and iconic style sense remain key if they want to stand out from the crowd. “I think Chinese designers can be bolder since younger buyers are very aware of international design trends. Young designers need to experiment and take more risks to see how the market’s response will be. It’s a great time for Chinese design,” says Yan.


About the Writer

Rice_Profile

Rice is a China-based freelance writer, and a former design editor at Conde Nast International. Driven by creativity, innovative thinking and with a diverse background, Rice has worked for many renowned fashion and lifestyle publications. She has eight years of industry experience in sharing her thoughtful insights about China’s evolving luxury and design landscape.