This study aims to examine the expressive characteristics of the New Chinese style in the collection of Chinese fashion designer Ziggy Chen, analyze the inner meaning, and suggest a new direction in Chinese fashion design. As a research method, the background and concept of New-Chinese style occurrence were examined through previous studies, and the characteristics of the New Chinese style expression in fashion were investigated. The characteristics of the New Chinese style were summarized as cultural tradition, historical ethnicity, and pluralistic convergence. Based on these contents, the characteristics of the New Chinese style expression in Ziggy Chen’s men’s fashion design were analyzed. The data collection range was selected as the range of 20 seasons collected from 2012 S/S to 2022 A/W, which was collected on fashion sites and the brand’s official Instagram. The analysis results are as follows. First, subcultural resistance is a retro and ragged decadence formed by combining punk elements and industrial styles based on the clothing styles of lower-class Chinese people in the 17th and 90s. Second, cultural traditionality was influenced by traditional culture by mainland Chinese designers, who expressed the conservative presence of tradition and the Chinese style by looking at it from an oriental perspective. Third, historical ethnicity forms a Chinese fashion culture in which the national spirit and the development of the times coexist, while traditional culture and contemporary social values develop in harmony. Fourth, traditional fashion develops by combining a contemporary aesthetic sense and lifestyle with pluralistic convergence.
In this study, six mainland Chinese designer brands—Xander Zhou, Sankuanz, Sean Suen, Feng Chen Wang, Pronounce, and Angel Chen—were selected that had their works presented at both Chinese and global fashion shows between 2016 and 2021. By analyzing the design characteristics of each brand, it is possible to understand the style characteristics and trends of Chinese menswear designs. A case study approach was adopted utilizing literature data, whereby 1663 photos were collected from the fashion information website POP (www.pop-fashion.com). Changes in Chinese men's image and the menswear market were identified. The design characteristics of modern Chinese menswear are as follows. First, the results from analyzing the target brands show that each brand has a distinct personality. Compared with the traditional or formal style, urban casual and sports styles (based on street style) account for a larger proportion. Second, the boundaries between different styles are becoming ambiguous, and contrasting styles are harmoniously expressed by breaking down boundaries through changes and combinations of colors, materials, and details. Third, after examining the overall trend, 2018 was a watershed point, after which the design trend has changed from either conservative or exaggerated to a practical and everyday style, demonstrating a genderless trend.