Friday, May 30, 2025

From May 21 to 25, the acclaimed “Made-in-Shanghai” event made its inaugural international appearance at Grand Front Osaka, Japan, marking its sixth edition overall. Focused on the theme “Lifestyle Trends of Shanghai & Osaka,” the exhibition offered a comprehensive showcase of Shanghai’s flourishing creative industries. More than 90 brands from Shanghai presented their latest fashion, beauty, and lifestyle innovations to a discerning Japanese audience comprised of consumers, business leaders, and industry experts.

An Extensive Exhibition Celebrating Shanghai’s Creativity

With over 1,000 products on display, the event covered an impressive range of categories including clothing, accessories, cosmetics, gourmet snacks, activewear, tech gadgets, and artisanal crafts. This diverse offering provided visitors an immersive glimpse into the breadth and vibrancy of Shanghai’s creative ecosystem. The five-day event attracted thousands of attendees, blending everyday shoppers with fashion insiders and business professionals eager to explore emerging trends and commercial opportunities.

The opening ceremony was attended by a notable mix of government representatives, fashion designers, brand ambassadors, media personnel, and influential cultural figures, reflecting the event’s role as a crucial platform for fostering cultural exchange and commercial collaboration between Shanghai and Osaka.

Shanghai Lab: Driving Fashion and Beauty Innovation

A centerpiece of the exhibition, “Shanghai Lab” served as a dedicated platform showcasing the most recent developments in Shanghai’s fashion and beauty industries. This area attracted considerable attention from business visitors, offering brands a stage to introduce new products and share strategic insights. For Japanese enterprises, it was an opportunity to connect with Shanghai’s creative leaders and explore potential collaborations.

The creative district of Yuyuan Road contributed 23 brands under the “City-Block Renewal” concept, illustrating how urban revitalization fuels new waves of creativity and entrepreneurship. This narrative resonated strongly with Japanese industry professionals, many of whom expressed interest in visiting and engaging further with this innovative community.

Oriental Beauty Valley: A Hub of Innovation and Collaboration

Representatives from Oriental Beauty Valley showcased nine standout brands epitomizing the region’s comprehensive beauty industry. The exhibit highlighted innovative products, research facilities, and public service frameworks supporting the sector’s growth. Delegations also engaged with Japanese companies and investment institutions to build stronger partnerships and explore mutual business opportunities.

WINDow of EAST: Chinese Designers Highlighted at Hankyu Department Store

The event extended into Osaka’s prestigious Hankyu Department Store, where the “WINDow of EAST” pop-up shops displayed collections from Chinese designers. The initiative attracted a wide audience, including government officials, luxury retail buyers, celebrities, influencers, and fashion consumers, offering a direct experience of Shanghai’s design excellence and craftsmanship.

Empowering Brands with E-Commerce Support

Recognizing the growing importance of online retail, the exhibition incorporated services from Confis, a Japanese e-commerce specialist. Confis provided localized packaging, product customization, inventory management, and marketing channel support, enabling Shanghai brands to effectively navigate and succeed in Japan’s digital marketplace.

A Bilateral Platform for Growth and Investment

More than an exhibition, “Made-in-Shanghai” functions as a bilateral platform facilitating both the global expansion of Shanghai brands and foreign investment in Shanghai’s creative sectors. Offering creative consulting, international marketing support, and cross-border promotional services, the event brought over 20 brand managers from Shanghai to Osaka to engage directly with consumers and industry stakeholders.

This interactive format helps brands tailor products to international markets, reinforcing Shanghai’s reputation as a global fashion and lifestyle innovator.

Widespread Media Coverage Amplifies Global Impact

The event’s reach extended well beyond its physical location, engaging an estimated 400 million people worldwide through comprehensive media coverage. Organizers recorded nearly 3.8 million online engagements related to the event. Coverage by over 795 international and Japanese news outlets, including leading agencies and newspapers, helped raise global awareness of Shanghai’s creative industries.

Such extensive media attention not only boosts Shanghai’s fashion sector visibility but also strengthens cultural ties and economic cooperation between China and Japan.

Looking Forward: Expanding Shanghai’s International Presence

The successful debut of “Made-in-Shanghai” in Osaka represents a significant milestone in Shanghai’s efforts to bring its creative industries to the world stage. By showcasing its dynamic fashion and lifestyle innovations abroad, the event lays a solid foundation for future cross-border partnerships and trade.

With plans to enter additional overseas markets, organizers and participants are committed to elevating Shanghai’s unique cultural heritage, design innovation, and commercial vitality. Combining tradition with forward-looking vision, “Made-in-Shanghai” is poised to become a premier global platform for Shanghai’s lifestyle trends and creative excellence.