The Modern Hanfu Enthusiast
Sensen, a Hanfu enthusiast born after 1995, regularly finds herself glued to her phone, watching Hanfu live shopping sessions on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), even though her wardrobe is already bursting with various styles of Hanfu. "Last year, the Ma Mian skirt was in vogue, but this year, it's all about the new Chinese style," she says, making another purchase as a model twirls in her screen.
In recent years, there has been a comprehensive revival of traditional Chinese culture, and Hanfu, which was once confined to niche circles, has become a new fashion trend. More young people, like Sensen, are being introduced to Hanfu through platforms like Douyin, experiencing a journey from unfamiliarity to curiosity, eventually embracing and promoting Hanfu culture.
The Meteoric Rise of Hanfu
A recent report by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Peking University HSBC Business School and the Zhiwei Research Institute highlights the explosive growth of Hanfu enthusiasts, with the number of aficionados expanding more than 30-fold over the past decade, reaching 9.98 million in 2023. The increasing demand has turned various e-commerce platforms into crucial venues for Hanfu purchases. By 2024, the market size for Hanfu in China had reached an impressive 14.47 billion yuan.
Despite the affordability and swift delivery of exquisitely crafted Hanfu—often priced at just a few hundred yuan—consumers may overlook the intricate industrial processes behind each garment. Every Hanfu piece results from the labor of countless production lines, symbolizing a significant industrial transformation.
The Heart of Hanfu: Cao County
Cao County has become synonymous with Hanfu and new Chinese-style fashion. The region houses a comprehensive supply chain and numerous enterprises necessary for Hanfu production, making it a go-to destination for Hanfu enthusiasts. Much like Rome, Cao County wasn't built in a day but has steadily grown into an industrial hub, with platforms like Douyin playing a pivotal role in this transformation.
These platforms not only spotlight Hanfu but also connect the industry's upstream and downstream sectors. The rise in consumer demand driven by short video live e-commerce has led the entire Hanfu industry to adopt the "Cao County model."
The Trendsetters of Hanfu
Before the advent of short video platforms, Hanfu was largely inaccessible to the general public, typically seen only in popular costume dramas. Although Hanfu is viewed as a symbol of classical beauty, for many, it remained a vague concept. Some even confused the costumes in shows like "Beauties in the Palace" and "Empresses in the Palace" with Hanfu, demonstrating a lack of understanding of its distinct features.
Short video platforms, particularly Douyin, have opened a new avenue for the dissemination of niche cultures. According to the report, many Hanfu enthusiasts first encountered Hanfu on platforms like Douyin, which became their primary source for Hanfu-related information.
The initial Hanfu wearers on Douyin didn't anticipate the overwhelming response to their simple outfit videos, driven by Douyin's recommendation algorithm. When the algorithm detects "Hanfu" keywords, it first targets and pushes content to similar enthusiasts or potentially interested users, achieving initial small-scale dissemination.
The true breakthrough came with the controversy surrounding Dior's alleged plagiarism of the Chinese Ma Mian skirt. Douyin seized this opportunity to guide key influencers and users in discussions, significantly boosting search indices for "Ma Mian skirt" and "Hanfu," while also increasing the popularity of topics like "Guofeng" (Chinese style) and "Guoyun" (Chinese charm).
This incident marked the first time Hanfu broke into the mainstream, transforming from a niche interest into a widely recognized cultural phenomenon.
Integrating Hanfu into Daily Life
For Hanfu to become mainstream, it had to be integrated into everyday life. During this phase, the content on Douyin shifted from purely informative to more diverse, including outfit coordination, accessory pairing, and makeup tutorials.
Previously, the occasions and people wearing Hanfu were limited, but this has expanded significantly. Douyin's "Hanfu Outfit Check-in" activity encouraged ordinary people to wear Hanfu in various scenarios, such as wedding photos, travel, bungee jumping, and night market visits. Likewise, Hanfu is no longer restricted to professionals and celebrities; people from all walks of life and different ages are embracing it.
The cultural symbol's dissemination demonstrated a bidirectional characteristic. Hanfu culture was seen, magnified, and extended on Douyin, while users continuously reinterpreted and created new meanings. For instance, the "new Chinese style" trend surged last Lunar New Year, with many choosing Hanfu as their "New Year's outfit."
Douyin has played a significant role in Hanfu's journey from a niche interest to a cultural explosion. Originally a serendipitous phenomenon, Douyin's guidance expanded Hanfu's meaning, forming a consensus around "Guofeng" and "Guochao" (Chinese trend), creating a new Chinese fashion wave.
The Industrial Powerhouse
Alongside the cultural surge, platforms like Douyin have also fueled a Hanfu consumption boom. The most noticeable trend for Douyin merchants has been the soaring popularity of the Ma Mian skirt. Initially, merchants noticed frequent discussions and numerous videos related to the skirt. By the latter half of 2022, Douyin merchants experienced a significant influx of customers in their live streams, driving substantial revenue growth.
Merchants observed that many customers discovered Hanfu videos on Douyin, searched for more content, and then quickly transitioned to making their first Hanfu purchase during live streams. This seamless process significantly boosted sales.
Following the initial Ma Mian skirt craze, the number of Hanfu merchants on short video platforms increased, driving sales across all e-commerce platforms. On Douyin, the top ten Hanfu merchants saw monthly revenues exceeding millions, with some leading sellers reaching daily sales of hundreds of thousands of yuan.
The Ma Mian skirt effect continued to ferment. During the 2024 Spring Festival, short videos with "Guochao" and "new Chinese style" themes garnered over 500 million views on Douyin, frequently trending. Riding this wave, Hanfu and the Ma Mian skirt experienced another sales surge.
In March 2024 alone, Douyin's Hanfu sales volume increased by 58% from February and 549% from the previous March. Sales of new Chinese style clothing grew by 136% from February and 1238% from the previous March, with Ma Mian skirt orders rising by 841%.
Conclusion
The story of Hanfu's resurgence is a testament to the power of modern technology in reviving ancient traditions. Platforms like Douyin have not only brought Hanfu into the limelight but have also integrated it into the daily lives of millions. As the Hanfu trend continues to grow, so too does the industrial network supporting it, transforming niche interests into major economic forces. Through the interplay of culture and commerce, Hanfu is not only preserving its heritage but also forging a new path in the modern world.
