Asia Fashion Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 42 Week of 1 December 2025
(1) Hong Kong Design Centre Presented ‘Play, Pose & Pixel’ Digital Fashion Exhibition
An East-meets-West digital fashion experience — uniting Paris Fashion Week insights with local talent in a fun, future-forward showcase for all ages, driving Hong Kong’s digital economy From 22 November – 2 December 2025 at AIRSIDE Gate33 Gallery.
(2) Buccellati opens ‘The Prince of Goldsmiths’ exhibition in Shanghai
Buccellati will present “The Prince of Goldsmiths” retrospective exhibition in Shanghai from December 7, 2025, to January 5, 2026, showcasing its century-old jewelry craftsmanship through an immersive journey blending Renaissance inspirations with modern multimedia displays.
(3) APM Monaco unveils HIVER collection in Singapore with Asia-Pacific brand ambassador Zhou Yiran
Building upon the award-winning design language first introduced at American Dream, BAPE®’s 2025 store openings demonstrate a sophisticated evolution of the brand’s retail environment.
(4) Proya, L’Oréal, and C-beauty battle for China’s men
L’Oréal Backs Chinese Clean Beauty Brand Lan. The investment was made via L’Oréal’s China fund Shanghai Meicifang Investment and its corporate venture capital arm BOLD.
(1) Hong Kong Design Centre Presented ‘Play, Pose & Pixel’ Digital Fashion Exhibition
(Photo Credit: Media OutReach Newswire)
“Play, Pose & Pixel,” a flagship digital fashion exhibition curated by FabriX and organized by the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), was held from November 22 to December 2 at AIRSIDE’s Gate33 Gallery as part of the Hong Kong Fashion Fest 2025. Supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency and partnered with the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the event advanced the HKSAR government’s policy to position Hong Kong as an East-meets-West hub for digital fashion and the creative economy.
The exhibition featured four immersive zones: “The Doll House” displayed over 40 vintage collectible dolls; “Enter the Avatar Era” offered a kaleidoscopic mirrored tunnel for identity exploration; and “From Paris to Hong Kong” featured FabriX’s AR try-on kiosk, enabling visitors to digitally wear designs by international and local talents like Alain Paul and Kevin Germanier. Zone 4, “The Digital Afterparty,” used real-time scanning to create personalized “Virtual Me” avatars projected on an LED wall.
Inaugurated by officials including Secretary Rosanna Law, the exhibition emphasized inclusivity and cross-generational engagement, merging physical nostalgia with digital innovation. By blending AR try-ons, 4D.ai garments, and interactive installations, “Play, Pose & Pixel” reinforced Hong Kong’s role in redefining fashion as an accessible, playful fusion of technology and self-expression.
News Source: https://www.media-outreach.com/news/hong-kong/2025/12/04/431433/hong-kong-design-centre-presented-play-pose-pixel-digital-fashion-exhibition/
(2) Buccellati opens ‘The Prince of Goldsmiths’ exhibition in Shanghai
(Photo Credit: VOGUE Magazine)
Following its success in Venice, Italian luxury jeweler Buccellati will present a major retrospective, “The Prince of Goldsmiths: Buccellati Rediscovering the Classics,” at the Shanghai Exhibition Center from December 7, 2025, to January 5, 2026. The exhibition celebrates the maison’s century-old craftsmanship and artistic evolution, reflecting its deep connection to Chinese appreciation for heritage and beauty a decade after entering the mainland market.
Curated by Alba Cappellieri and produced by Balich Wonder Studio, the immersive journey guides visitors through thematic sections—beginning with “The Buccellati Generations” symbolizing continuity, followed by reconstructed private studies displaying family archives, and progressing to “Manmade Wonders” rooms exploring dialogues among jewelry, architecture, and archaeology. Multimedia elements, Renaissance-inspired projections, and interactive kaleidoscopes reveal techniques passed down through four generations.
The finale, “The Gallery of The Icons,” showcases iconic high jewelry creations from 1920 to the present within an immersive projection show, underscoring Buccellati’s timeless appeal. By blending classical aesthetics with contemporary visual language, the exhibition reinforces the brand’s philosophy of uniting tradition and modernity, positioning Shanghai as a key stage in Buccellati’s global narrative of artisanal excellence.
News Source: https://www.richemont.com/news-media/press-releases-news/buccellati-opens-the-prince-of-goldsmiths-exhibition-in-shanghai/
(3) APM Monaco unveils HIVER collection in Singapore with Asia-Pacific brand ambassador Zhou Yiran
(Photo Credit: APM Monaco)
APM Monaco launched its new HIVER collection in Singapore on November 16 through a series of immersive events, with Asia-Pacific Ambassador Zhou Yiran leading celebrations at the Marina Bay Sands boutique. The debut emphasized emotional connection through jewelry, blending intimate styling with expressive presentations.
Inspired by winter’s pristine landscapes, the HIVER collection incorporates geometric snowflake motifs and multi-layer crystal settings to evoke ice textures. The narrative was enriched by Zhou Yiran’s styling of the Morse Code collection—including a custom ear cuff engraved with “ZYR” and “AMOUR”—highlighting jewelry as a medium for personal and cultural expression.
The brand reinforced its commitment to cross-cultural dialogue by sponsoring the Weibo Singapore Cultural Exchange Night, uniting Mediterranean heritage, Chinese aesthetics, and Singaporean multiculturalism. This positioning framed the launch not merely as a product debut, but as a celebration of shared beauty and creative exchange across cultures.
News Source: https://jingdaily.com/posts/apm-monaco-unveils-hiver-collection-in-singapore-with-asia-pacific-brand-ambassador-zhou-yiran
(4) Proya, L’Oréal, and C-beauty battle for China’s men
(Photo Credit: Kiehl’s)
China’s men’s skincare market has solidified its position as the world’s largest and fastest-growing, reaching 17 billion RMB ($2.3 billion) in 2023 and projected to surpass 20 billion RMB by 2026, with annual growth of 11–20% that significantly outpaces the broader beauty sector. In 2024, the market was already more than triple the size of the U.S. and twice that of South Korea. Major domestic player Proya, which had abandoned its men’s line in 2021, is now quietly preparing a comeback with new “Proya Men” cleanser, serum, and essence filings featuring minimalist, multi-effect formulas and distinctive deep-blue packaging, signaling that the category has matured into a lucrative diversification opportunity for Chinese beauty giants amid intensifying competition from local brands like Kans, Chando, and Guyu.
International giants such as L’Oréal Men Expert still dominate in volume and especially in the premium 300–800 RMB segment thanks to perceived superior R&D, clinical credibility, and decades of brand equity. However, their leadership is increasingly threatened by fast-moving C-beauty players that are innovating at “China speed” with locally tailored textures, scents, and climate-specific solutions. Experts warn that global brands must abandon outdated “rugged masculinity” tropes in favor of wellness-oriented, emotionally relatable narratives centered on efficiency, comfort, and skin health if they hope to retain younger Chinese male consumers.
Despite rapid gains at the mass and masstige levels, domestic brands face significant hurdles in premiumization due to visual and conceptual homogeneity (the ubiquitous “cool black tech” aesthetic), lack of proprietary ingredients or male-specific technologies, and undifferentiated messaging. Breaking into higher price tiers will require years of investment in clinical validation, sensorial upgrades, and fresh lifestyle-driven brand worlds. Compounding these challenges is a persistent structural bottleneck: the absence of simple, guided entry points—such as quick skin assessments and two-to-three-step routines—leaving many men overwhelmed and driving nearly half of Douyin sales toward basic cleansers rather than full regimens.
News Source: https://jingdaily.com/posts/proya-l-oreal-and-c-beauty-battle-for-china-men
