SHANGHAI — The primary fully physical Shanghai Fashion Week kicked off last Thursday as town steadily recovers from the pandemic. There are not any longer many individuals wearing masks on the road, and social life is back.

After spending greater than three years living under the shadow of COVID-19, showgoers have adopted a more pragmatic way of dressing this season, reflecting the nation’s cautious attitude toward the economy and geopolitical tensions.

From the looks outside the emerging talent showcase platform Labelhood, and Ontimeshow, town’s largest trade show, it appeared that street-y styles have diminished, replaced with sharp and modern tailoring and statement outerwear in muted tones because the weather in Shanghai stays cold and wet.

At Labelhood, a retailer and talent support platform that champions local emerging designers, modern Chinese aesthetics — created by a mixture of vintage satin, suede, and floral prints — was put in fun juxtaposition against the Art Deco exteriors along the Bund, a bunch of buildings that has been restored by star architect David Chipperfield, revitalizing its original grandeur.

Also blowing within the early spring breeze are vivid, dopamine-inducing shades of pistachio greens, pale yellows, azure blues and powder pink, which dominated the colour story at Ontimeshow, one among the biggest trade shows during Shanghai Fashion Week. Based on WGSN China, such vivid hues evoked a way of “sweet little blessings that customers crave from the underside of their hearts” in a city that just got back on its feet post-COVID-19.

Here, fashion photographer Milk shared what he documented for WWD in the course of the week.