The Rise of C Fashion
As much as I talk about J-fashion trends, I think as a collective we need to discuss the rise of C-fashion (Chinese Fashion) and how much it’s taking over the West and general social media.
Yapping about the entirety of C-fashion would take too long, so I would love to focus specifically on ‘Yabi.’ Yabi directly translates to “subculture loser,” with ‘ya’ meaning ‘sub’ and ‘bi’, a derogatory term meaning loser, poser, or fake. This term is comparable to the Japanese term “jirai” in Jirai Kei fashion, meaning ‘landmine girl,’ because they can blow up at you at any second. Similar to Jirai Kei, the term Yabi has been adopted as a description of the style and its followers rather than an insult.
Over the last few years, Yabi fashion has blown up in China in response to the intense societal pressures the youth face from life, work, and relationships. It’s a rebellion using fashion, much like Lolita fashion—a Japanese trend recently discussed in the hit media publication Colin Magazine. Due to these pressures, Yabi is a way of pushing back without hurting anyone.
Specific trends within Yabi fashion are spread through Chinese social media platforms Xiaohongshu and Douyin, eventually trickling their way to TikTok and Instagram, garnering popularity and interest in the West. A few of my favourite creators who wear Yabi fashion and whom I recommend checking out include @900xthousand, @lejinfan, @ff.sleepwell, and @yurinaoto.
Yabi fashion is essentially a compilation of other international trends but elevated, taking inspiration from Gyaru, E-girl, Visual Kei, Y2K, and cybergoth. Like recognizing a cosplayer in normie clothes, I can’t exactly describe it, but I know it when I see it. If you are interested and want to try dressing 'Yabi,' many of these influencers get their clothing from Taobao.
You may know Taobao for cosplay reasons, as it’s an online market platform similar to AliExpress or eBay. In the past, you needed an agent to ship to Australia, but now the majority of Taobao designers ship directly to Australia. Navigating the platform has also become easier with the integration of an English language option. I highly recommend browsing yourself rather than buying through an agent as it will save you so much time and money.
I have personally curated a few Chinese indie designers who sell on Taobao. This isn’t a complete list, but I believe it gives you a good head start. If you’re looking for specific looks, I suggest searching on TikTok to find more comprehensive examples. Alternatively, if you’re after a specific garment you’ve seen on someone, Taobao’s reverse image search is one of the best tools available, saving you the time of crawling through sellers.
Please keep in mind that mixing styles is a big part of Yabi, so many of the brands I recommend fit multiple aesthetics. No yelling ;-; thanks!
For darker, alt, and grunge styles:
Cest Nous, No Romance, Open Aesthetic, Blood Supply, Nit Alcove, Cor Latex.
For Shoujo-inspired, girly, or "little cutie meow meow" aesthetics:
CFIERCE, Pink Saviour, Lace Garden, SOS Meme Club, KellyKitty, FruFru.
For cyber, Y2K/Y3K, or "weirder" styles:
HashtagDDD, Gururu, TaroTarot, Wrong Solution, Evil Tooth, Eyeelike.
Please remember to take what I say with a grain of salt and dress in a way that makes you happy! Don’t follow trends just because everyone else is doing it. Finding your unique sense of fashion is soul-fulfilling, trust me.