“Design in China” e17 – Short Sentence – Game-Changing Fashion in China
Short Sentence – Game-Changing Women’s Fashion in China
Modern fashion inspires people to create fresh and original trends while incorporating classic elements. In WeChat groups, a new generation of young creatives is banding together to rebrand conventional Chinese ideals. Guan Lin 管林, a graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York City and Shanghai’s Donghua University, started the apparel company Short Sentence in 2015. The clean lines, modern style, and brilliant hues define the designer’s aesthetic. Moreover, the brand is well-known for its straightforward and unpretentious look, targeted toward young female consumers.
I grew up in China. Growing up, I’ve always been a fan of Chinese poetry. It uses short sentences to describe beautiful scenes and emotions. I’m always amazed by how so few words can express such rich meanings. I’m trying to apply a similar method to my design, using simple design languages to convey a concise and meaningful message.
Source: Vogue Italia, Elisa Pervinca Bellini


After receiving her degree, Lin Guan worked at Calvin Klein (CK) in the menswear division. There, she discovered the strength of timeless design and saw the company’s outstanding marketing skills in action. Her label Short Sentence, which was given that name in honor of Guan’s ongoing quest for powerful, straightforward simplicity, maintains the CK-inspired style. Short Sentence, an online seller of women’s clothing, has expanded into physical retail by opening a store in Shanghai’s Huashan Lu district. Although the womenswear brand’s standalone store in Shanghai’s central district of Huashan Lu opened in 2021, the new outpost’s position represents a significant achievement. A portion of the brand’s success was achieved thanks to the change in the perspective of Chinese people towards supporting more local designers and brands. 45 percent of Chinese consumers stated they would be more likely to buy domestic brands in a poll by consulting company PWC in 2022.
While the e-commerce industry appears to be a cure for pandemic disruptions, people’s demand for in-person shopping hasn’t entirely disappeared. To appeal to Gen-Z shoppers, Short Sentence has created its own brand-new neighborhood concept stores. The brand has developed its e-commerce website and has gradually increased its online presence on platforms like Instagram. Furthermore, the brand’s objective is to communicate with their clients more openly, whether domestic or international. Social media is a terrific tool for businesses to engage with their consumers and a platform for them to share the narratives that inspire them and convey the principles that underpin the brand. According to the founder Guan Lin, Shanghai is a city with a high pace. Therefore, there is a need for the populace to change daily, which is why the brand needs to continuously come up with fresh ideas to make the brand’s designs stand out more to stay up with the market’s rapid changes.


On the other hand, the brand hosted a gathering as part of its inaugural neighborhood event. Participants from the adjacent neighborhood and representatives from the Shanghai-based design firm AIM Architecture and the new contemporary platform SandwiChina spoke about their experiences at the bucolic shop and provided insight into local life. The Chinese government’s desire for all Chinese citizens to have access to luxury accounts for a significant portion of their success. Many small-to-midsized firms are increasingly working with independent brands because of rising labor costs and declining export demand. Instead, brands are focusing on the local market, which is quite powerful in its own right.
For us, “made in China” should have a different meaning now. It’s no longer about low cost.
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