​Allgrey fashion trend, or 格雷系 in Chinese, which involves the layering of items in different shades of grey, was the major fashion fad in the last months of 2023 going into 2024. Originating amidst the winter season, this trend has seen an extraordinary rise in popularity, growing MoM 29.53X on average from November to January and captivating over 300 million views in relevant topics on Red/Xiaohongshu.

In this edition of our micro trend report, we provide a thorough overview of:

• Introduction of the Allgrey Fashion Trend: assessing key characteristics and data of this China fashion trend.
• Demographics: understanding the key regions and age groups engaging with this style.
• Origin and Promotion: how it became a trend.
• Sentiment Analysis: what consumers praise about Allgrey and why it has been widely adopted by the average consumer.
• Social Marketing: the role of influencers and brands in promoting this trend.
• E-Commerce Impact: how brands are leveraging the hype on Tmall.
• Future Prospects: how is Allgrey faring as we enter spring season, and what’s next in China’s ever-evolving fashion?

The analysis is empowered by Doris, WalktheChat In-house A.I. Social Listening Tool.

Remember the red-brown tones of Maillard style that “sizzled” Chinese fashionistas in fall of 2023? As Maillard’s popularity faded and winter’s chills sniffed in, the calm and neutral shades of grey became the new “it color” on Chinese social media such as Red and Douyin.

Using grey tones as the primary base color of an outfit, Allgrey refers to layering of items in grey shades to create a simple yet elegant ensemble.

The Allgrey China fashion trend primarily appeals to the younger audience, especially those between 18-24 years old, who form the largest demographic group, closely followed by the 25-34 age bracket.

Interestingly, despite its association with elegance, only 3% of the Allgrey enthusiasts belong to the 35-44 year age group. This could potentially be attributed to the novelty of the Allgrey style, which might not have yet resonated with the more mature demographic.

Additionally, it’s notable that audiences from Guangdong are leading this trend, surpassing those from traditionally fashion-forward provinces like Shanghai. This shift highlights Guangdong’s emerging significance in shaping contemporary fashion trends.

Allgrey was initially known by generic terms such as “grey color scheme fashion” (灰色系) and “classy grey fashion” (高级灰) before Red platform launched an official #Allgrey campaign, catapulting the Allgrey concept into the limelight.

In addition, Red invited influencers and celebrities to host themed livestreams, further popularizing the trend. This strategic social media push demonstrates the power of digital platforms in shaping fashion trends in China.

The pursuit of an affluent and refined appearance has been a long-standing and growing desire among Chinese consumers. This trend has spurred the popularity of search terms such as “sophisticated fashion” (高级感穿搭) and “Old Money style” (老钱风).

Enter the Allgrey trend, the latest embodiment of quiet luxury in China’s fashion domain. This trend captivates with its minimalist charm and understated luxury, appealing to those who favor sophistication without ostentation. Influencers and fashion enthusiasts laud its intellectual and old-money aesthetic, highlighting its slimming effect and effortless style. This monochromatic movement represents a growing preference towards simplicity and quality in fashion.

Since Allgrey is a color-centric style, it is formulaic and relatively simple to replicate for the average consumer. An “Allgrey look” can be achieved either by donning entirely grey items, or mixing grey essentials with an accent color such as blue or red.

With this layering technique, consumers yearning to look fashionable in the winter can stay warm, and the style is also versatile for commute and casual scenarios.

The ease of implementation, combined with its warmth, versatility, and inherent elegance and minimalism, serves as the cornerstone of the Allgrey style’s widespread adoption among fashion enthusiasts.

The concept of Allgrey, while not widely popular by its specific name in Western circles, has seen the color grey take center stage in the Fall/Winter 2023 fashion scene. Prestigious luxury labels like Miu Miu, Prada, Max Mara, along with designer brands such as The Garment, frequently emerge in conversations about Allgrey on Chinese social platforms.

Influencers are leveraging the prevalence of grey pieces in these runway shows to reinforce the legitimacy and influence of the Allgrey trend within the global fashion landscape.

Miu Miu stands out as one of the most frequently mentioned brands in discussions about the Allgrey trend, thanks to its compatibility with the trend and the burgeoning popularity of #MiuMiuStyle. However, not all outfits categorized under Miu style are from brand Miu Miu. Consumers are also turning to mass market alternatives from COS and Zara to achieve the look.

In the lead-up to the Chinese New Year, the Allgrey trend took a festive turn, with influencers showcasing their stylish Allgrey ensembles paired with vibrant red accessories like socks, bags, and gloves, symbolizing auspiciousness and fashion-forward thinking.

This thematic adaptation stirred considerable buzz, generating 106,300 engagements on Red and amassing views exceeding 41 million on Douyin.

Apparel brand GANNI tapped into the trend by promoting their CNY festive collection in Allgrey styling through a blend of branded content and influencer collaborations. This positioned their Chinese New Year drops as both trendy and culturally relevant.

The hashtag #KoreanVibeAllgreyBoys emerged as the leading topic within the Allgrey trend on Douyin, ,accumulating over 95 million views in total.

The popularity of Allgrey on social media has been equally relevant in e-commerce, with searches for the keyword “allgrey” experiencing a remarkable 274% increase on Tmall during January.

Recognizing this trend, brands like Nike, Mardi Mercredi, and Arket have promptly incorporated the keyword into their product listing titles to harness the search traffic.

What’s the outlook for Allgrey? What will be the next big trend in 2024?

As we transition into spring, the Allgrey fashion trend’s stronghold on China’s fashion scene is showing signs of retreat, with mentions on the social media platform Red plummeting by 66% in February. This suggests that Allgrey may have been a temporary craze, likely to be dethroned by the next emerging fashion style.

Social media platforms like Red and Douyin are at the forefront of inventing new trends, turning viral moments into commercial triumphs through savvy live streaming strategies that drive sales.

Looking ahead, 2024 is expected to bring about fresh, color-based themes, following the success of Dopamine, Maillard and Allgrey in 2023. The secret sauce for any social media-inspired fashion trend to achieve virality seems to rest on its ease of adoption and replication, with straightforward, easily emulated styles gaining traction most swiftly.

WalktheChat is an AI-powered China Marketing Agency supercharged with an industry-leading AIGC and tech team.

: selina.wang@walkthechat.com

Follow us on LinkedIn for more news and insight about China’s digital marketing and luxury landscape.

More reports available upon request.

The post China’s Top Winter Fad: Allgrey Fashion Trend Captivates over 300 Million Views on Red appeared first on WalkTheChat.

As the epicenter of the worldwide luxury market, Chinese consumer preferences and tastes are constantly evolving.

In this report, our primary focus lies on the emerging New Vintage style, which experienced a remarkable surge in mentions (+8086%) on Xiaohongshu in July compared to the prior month. This analysis delves into various aspects, including the latest geographical distribution among consumers, age-related trends, and the influencing factors shaping luxury brand offerings. This encompasses a comprehensive study of color palettes, material choices, and experiential elements that resonate with China’s affluent demographic.

New Vintage in Fashion refers to new products designed with vintage elements, such as worn-out effects or with details from the 80s, 90s, or 2000s.

Trend pursuers in Beijing and Shanghai are the major consumer groups: they contribute 34% of the total engagement related to the “New Vintage” trend on Red, surpassing the whole province of Guangdong, which ranks No.3.

Gen-Z and Millennials are no doubt the vanguard of the New Vintage fashion movement. Chinese netizens have been quick to experiment with this new style, brining New Vintage into their everyday looks.

Gen-Z and Millennials comprise 82% of the engaged audience, with a male audience taking a substantial share of 18%.

Handbags with denim and patchwork or shapes resembling retro styles are beloved by New Vintage lovers. Such styles can be found in brands such as Chanel, Miu Miu, Jellytoyboy, and more.

Another trend worth noticing is the usage of silver metallic bags and throwback denim street fashion. Such style is boosted by 109% in Tmall search volume during the first half of 2023.

By creating a contentious contrast between denim retro style and silver metallic Sci-Fi feeling, this look effortlessly became a favorite among the chic and young. Balenciaga is, without a doubt, the trend leader in this futuristic style.

Worn-out leather is also gaining traction with the fashion-forward youth. Luxury brands like Miu Miu, and rising premium brands such as Alienaire, Acne Studios, and Dirty Six all have published iconic handbag styles featuring worn-out leather.

WalktheChat is an AI-powered China Marketing Agency supercharged with an industry-leading AIGC and tech team.

Follow us on LinkedIn for more news and insight about China’s digital marketing and luxury landscape.

More reports available upon request.

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Chinese Consumer Confidence vs. Global Level

Chinese consumer confidence continues its decline

According to data from Ipsos, Chinese consumer confidence has reported a 69.8 in October 2022, a further decrease of -0.8 compared to last month. The score dropped to the same level as in January 2020 when COVID first hit hard in Wuhan.

But still rank as No.1 in global consumer sentiment

Global consumer sentiment has continuously weakened over the past eight months, with an average pessimistic overview scoring at 45.6. China, although not at its best time, still holds the No.1 position (69.8), followed by Saudi Arabia (69.5) and India (64.3). These are the only three countries scoring above 60.

Australia (53.0), the U.S. (50.9), and Brazil (50.4) are also above the 50-point mark, showing a somehow neutral economic outlook; while European countries look more pessimistic in general. The energy crisis, increased production costs, inflation, war in Ukraine, and serious concerns about the global stability have been rising.

Consumption Trends

Consumption is also not optimistic. During the “Golden Week” Holiday this year, 422 million people traveled, a further decrease of 18% from last year. Touristic revenue also dropped by 26%, which means less than half (44%) of the pre-covid level in 2019.

Many Chinese families chose “staycation” or “traveling” without leaving the city (going to parks or nearby camping) to avoid the risk of being held in random lockdowns that could disrupt the holidays. The strict restriction is not a huge surprise considering the upcoming Party Congress this month. Although, with the ongoing “zero covid” policy, it’s unlikely to have a “revenge consumption” like two years ago. Chinese people have turned to a more rational lifestyle, trying to save more money to face future uncertainty.

The same trend is happening in consumer’s online purchases. Take the Bag category, for example; the sales revenue and growth rate continued to shrink during September. Almost half of the sales (44.23%) come from the Women’s Bag sub-category, but the revenue has dropped by -39% compared to last month. 

The same is happening with suitcase category for understandable reasons.

On the contrary, the sub-category Bags for Travel has shown an encouraging growth of +3.9%. As people chose nearby destinations for trips, demands for bags that could fit a lot of utilities but were not as big as suitcases increased. However, this niche category only represents less than 1% of the total sales in the bag category. It could be a growth opportunity to add to your brand’s collection, but it won’t change the whole picture.

Learn more about trends in bag industry:

• Red(Xiaohongshu) Marketing: Opportunities and Suggestions for Niche Bag Brands

It’s not an easy time for big international names neither. Premium and luxury brands have also suffered descending sales: GUCCI (-30.9%), COACH outlet (-22.38%), Charles Keith (-18.41%), Saint Laurent (-30.32%). MICHAEL KORS was the only brand that achieved growth in the Top10 ranking.

Conclusion

It’s high time that brands carefully review their investment and overall strategy in China. As consumers and investors turn towards a more rational and risk-averse direction, international brands need to spend every coin with more caution and focus on marketing efforts that can bring value.

Thank you for your attention reading till here. If you want a customized consultation for your brand, feel free to leave us a message below, and we will be in touch with you soon.

The post Chinese Consumer Confidence & Consumption Drops: How should brand react? appeared first on WalkTheChat.

In this article, we will explain:

• Red (Xiaohongshu) updated overview and user persona
• 5 new consumers trends on Red (Xiaohongshu) and opportunities for related brands

Red (Xiaohongshu) Platform Overview

• MAU (Monthly Active User): 200 million, which doubled the size in January 2020 (100 million).
• Geographic: over 50% are living in Tier-1 or Tier-2 cities, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, etc.
• Age: 72% of them are born in the 1990s (Millenials).
• Gender: Female / Male = 70% / 30%. Red used to have 90% of active users being female. However, as the platform grows and content diversifies, it’s attracting more male users and building a more balanced gender distribution.

Red (Xiaohongshu) Users Content Preference Trends

Over time, Red users are showing more diversified interests and behavior. Categories such as food & gourmets, hobbies, home decoration & renovation, and entertainment are the most fast-growing channels.

Here are the 5 types of content that users love to consume in 2022, in terms of post views and search volume:

1. Cooking at home
2. Fitness & workout
3. Fashion & beauty
4. Citytour nearby
5. entertainment at home

Looking for help to define or improve your Red / Xiaohongshu strategy? Talk with us!

Now let’s look at two categories that are more relevant for foreign brands, and see how brands can leverage the uprising trend on Chinese social media.

Fitness & Workout Trends on Xiaohongshu

Following the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the impact of the pandemic, Chinese consumers have become enthusiastic about sport and fitness, especially home workouts. During the Shanghai lockdown, singer and composer Will Liu (Liu Genghong) started live-streaming his home workout training on Douyin and quickly became a social phenomenon.

Thanks to his professional training and positive vibes, Liu became viral all over the Chinese internet. His record is attracting nearly 10 million followers in one day. (source: Xinhua Daily) By June 2022, he has gained more than 72 million followers on Douyin, more than ten times the size before live-streaming fitness content.

Following the success of Will Liu, German fitness influencer Palema Reif also joined Douyin on April 12th. She has attracted more than 11 million followers in two months.

Both of them also have active accounts on Red.

Because of covid, Chinese people have realized the importance of health more than ever before. People actively search for specific sports and fitness training on social media, such as rope skipping, yoga, pilates, etc. Therefore, here’s an opportunity for related industries such as sports and fitness fashion, home workout equipment, etc.

Fashion & Beauty Trends on Xiaohongshu

Fashion & Beauty continue to be trendy topics on Red. According to Red’s internal data of beauty & fashion content, having to wear a mask doesn’t affect Chinese consumers’ pursuit of looking better and more confident.

According to Red’s report on users’ content consuming preference, we can observe the first peak in the click index and search index in October 2021. Chinese consumers used Red as a Chinese “Google” to gather information, and decide what to buy during the 2021 Double 11 Shopping Festival. Both indexes dropped in February after several massive shopping festivals. It quickly picked up again in March 2022, thanks to the Women’s Day Shopping Festival.

According to Red’s Beauty Trends Report published in April, there are four TOP trends in 2022:

• efficient skincare
• Haute makeup
• stacking products
• gender neutrality

Red predicts a promising trend and desire in these verticals during this year because the search volume for these keywords soured in 2021. As the traditional beauty market saturates, new brands entering China have to focus on more segmented verticals. For example, efficient skincare or simplified skincare, functional skincare targeting oily/dry skin, and men’s beauty may see an opportunity here.

Looking for more information about Red / Xiaohongshu marketing? You will find the below articles very useful:

• Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu) Marketing – A Complete Guide
• Xiaohongshu/Red Pushes “Account-Store Integration” to drive In-app Conversion

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