Threading Influence: Fashion as a Medium for Chinese Soft Power

In recent years, China has strategically leveraged its fashion industry to bolster its soft power on the global stage. This article explores how Chinese fashion brands and events have become potent instruments of cultural diplomacy. Focusing on Shanghai Tang as a case study, the article examines the brand’s ability to fuse traditional Chinese elements with modern design to promote Chinese culture worldwide. Unlike western fashion industries, in which government involvement is minimal, Chinese fashion benefits from state initiatives aimed at projecting national identity and pride. This article conceptualizes fashion as a distinct modality of soft power and identifies three mechanisms through which it operates: materialization (embedding national narratives in garments and retail spaces), embodiment (incorporating stylized “Chineseness” into everyday dress and performances of taste), and positionality (repositioning China within a global fashion field historically dominated by European luxury houses). Drawing on first-hand brand materials and policy directives, the study demonstrates how Chinese fashion enhances China’s global influence and fosters cross-cultural appreciation.