On June 13, a seemingly modest retail moment at Nanjing’s Deji Plaza offered a revealing glimpse into the evolving dynamics of China’s fashion market. Marius and Unica — two womenswear brands born on Taobao and known for their savvy digital strategies — launched their first brick-and-mortar stores at China’s highest-grossing mall. Within 10 days, Marius reported more than 1 million yuan, about $139,000, in sales. Just weeks later, it opened a second store in Hangzhou MixC, another powerhouse mall.
This isn’t just a story of online brands going offline. It’s the latest chapter in a broader structural shift reshaping China’s fashion and retail ecosystem — one where top luxury malls, once the exclusive playground of international premium and luxury brands, are now betting big on a new generation of homegrown fashion labels.
A New Symbiosis: Online Disruptors, Offline Prestige
Deji Plaza, which recently overtook Beijing’s SKP as China’s top-performing mall by revenue, began welcoming emerging brands like Chic Joc as early as 2022. That early embrace was strategic. These digitally native brands come with proven followings, refined aesthetics and a growing cultural cachet among younger, upwardly mobile consumers.
In return, malls offer more than just foot traffic — they provide symbolic legitimacy. They allow these brands to evolve beyond their origins as “affordable alternatives” into lifestyle forces with storytelling, community and, increasingly, global aspirations.
The Rise of China’s Fashion Native Brands
Marius, Chic Joc and Unica are not anomalies, they represent a broader movement of new-generation Chinese fashion entrepreneurs who emerged from the design, art and digital communities rather than the traditional supply chain. Armed with professional training and cultural fluency, they identified a key market void in the 2010s: Chinese women seeking refined, professional wardrobes at accessible price points.
Ma Rui, founder of Marius, built her following by sharing outfit notes online, tapping into the psyche of a new middle class that craved what she called “affordable elegance.” Chic Joc’s founder, Lou Chen, positioned her label as a “Chinese Max Mara,” offering minimalist sophistication with superior fabrics and tailoring. And Unica’s general manager, Meng Tianchu, openly embraced the label of “dupe,” arguing that luxury’s constant price hikes have made room for aspirational alternatives.
The Marius flagship at Deji Plaza in Nanjing. Courtesy photo
What began as tactical pricing strategies have evolved into full-fledged brand philosophies. Chic Joc now speaks of the “Intellectual Wardrobe” — clothing aligned with career development and modern femininity. Marius is anchored in business commuting, while Unica hired former Acne Studios and Toteme designer Như Dương to create a more elevated line that has earned accolades online and off.
Innovation at Speed: The China Model
If luxury is traditionally slow and deliberate, these brands are moving at breakneck speed. Within six months, Chic Joc opened three overseas stores — in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach in California and in Paris’ Le Village Royal. For context, it took only seven years from its founding to establish a Paris flagship. Marius, meanwhile, expanded from digital brand to offline retail within six.
This velocity is not without tension. The challenge now is twofold: preserving the agility of e-commerce while cultivating the aura and consistency essential to luxury. “Brand power is both an accelerator and a stabilizer,” said Stella, cofounder of Unica. “It drives decisions and creates long-term value.”
The interior of Unica’s flagship at Deji Plaza. Courtesy photo
Offline expansion isn’t just a tactical move — it’s a strategic evolution. For malls, the courtship of these brands is more than diversification; it’s a bid for cultural relevance. In a post-pandemic landscape where younger consumers are less swayed by logos and more by identity and connection, digital-native brands bring fresh energy to retail’s oldest institutions.
From Imitation to Innovation
What’s most striking is how quickly these brands are shedding the “affordable alternative” label. The goal is not to copy luxury, but to rewrite its rules — from a distinctly Chinese perspective.
“Marius is not just a brand — it’s a solution,” Ma Rui said. “We help elite women navigate identity, ambition and personal style. That mission drives everything.”
This new wave of brands has validated a core truth: in China’s Gen Z-driven market, upscaling no longer means Westernizing. Style-savvy, experience-hungry consumers are seeking products that feel relevant, local and elevated. As Western luxury grapples with the global economy and in some instances overexposure and generational disconnects, the Chinese fashion ecosystem is building something new — fast.
When the speed of digital meets the gravitas of luxury, a recalibration is inevitable. The brands that strike that balance first won’t just be mall tenants — they’ll be the ones helping to shape the future of fashion.
Editor’s Note: China Insight is a monthly column from WWD’s sister publication WWD China on key developments in that important market.