by LOU Qiqin

Shanghai has long been a favored destination for global brands. But the city's next challenge may be more ambitious: can it produce original Chinese consumer brands with global recognition?

In the "Shanghai 2035: Answers for the Future" fashion and consumption chapter, that question ran through many of the discussions. Shanghai is already a showcase for international retail, first stores and flagship events. But to become a truly global consumer capital, it also needs brands that carry Shanghai's own cultural language outward.

One example discussed at the roundtable was Sandriver, a cashmere brand founded by GUO Xiuling. The company grew out of Shanghai's manufacturing ecosystem in Jinshan District, where years of supplying international luxury labels helped build expertise in craftsmanship and quality control before developing its own brand identity.

Today, the company operates in overseas markets including Paris and New York, with international business accounting for a notable share of sales. Guo argued that Haipai culture — often associated with Shanghai's openness and hybridity — is closely connected to advanced manufacturing and the ability to absorb different cultural influences.

Shanghai has also become part of the brand's broader narrative. At Zhangyuan, Sandriver's flagship store brings together Shikumen architecture with craft traditions from Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Yunnan and Suzhou, creating a contemporary retail setting that introduces traditional Chinese craftsmanship to international visitors.

The broader issue extends beyond a single company. Global brands are rarely built on products alone. They require manufacturing capability, design, cultural storytelling and urban spaces that help give brands visibility and credibility.

Shanghai already has many of those ingredients: industrial depth, design talent, international exposure and heritage districts undergoing urban renewal. The question is whether the city can help more local brands move from manufacturing to storytelling, and from domestic recognition to global appeal.

If Shanghai succeeds, it may no longer be known only as a place where international brands enter China. It could also become a city where Chinese brands begin their journey to the world.

Editor's note: "Shanghai 2035: Answers for the Future" is a multimedia series produced by the Shanghai Municipal Government Information Office and Jiemian News. The project explores the city's long-term development across key sectors through documentaries, expert roundtables and interviews. The fashion and consumption chapter examines how Shanghai is reshaping urban consumption through culture, community and experiential retail.