Alibaba’s Tmall hosts fashion event featuring ‘hanfu’

Livestreamer Austin Li appeared in the event in full traditional Chinese costume.

Alibaba’s business-to-consumer platform, Tmall, has hosted its annual fashion event “National Style Award” in Shanghai, with more than 200 hanfu bloggers debuted their latest custom designs at the event to celebrate the revival of traditional Chinese dress, a news release revealed.

On the night of the event, China’s leading live streamer and influencer, Austin Li, appeared in a special live stream in full hanfu costume to share some of Taobao’s most innovative hanfu-inspired products and fashion with millions of his fans online.

“For some, hanfu is more than a fashion statement. The craftsmanship and cultural embodiment of this type of traditional style dress are becoming popular for China’s younger generations to express themselves and their cultural identities,” Alibaba said in a statement.

In 2020, more than 1,200 new hanfu brands joined Tmall, with its annual sales growing nearly 500% year over year on the platform, the company said.