W Magazine China [IG] continues to deliver exceptional content; today AOC shares the fashion story ‘Yesterday & Tomorrow’.

The exaggerated silhouettes of classicism gently envelop the form, blending and clashing with the exquisite artistry of modern craftsmanship to create a uniquely romantic new aesthetic worn by model Libby Bennett.

Seeds of this ‘new aesthetic’ were revealed in Dior creative director Jonathan Anderson’s debut men’s show on June 27th.

W Magazine China referenced Virginia Woolf’s classic novel ‘Orlando’and another use of the word ‘protagonist’. As in you are creating and starring in your own fashion-identity drama.

The very talented Austin Feng styles Bennett in Chanel, Chloe, Dior, Fendi, Givenchy, Gucci, Jil Sander, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Maison Alaia, Maison Valentino, MiuMiu, Moschino, Schiaparelli, Thom Browne, Versace and more, with images by Zhong Lin [IG]. / Hair by Yuwei Weng; makeup by Yooyo Keong Ming

China Continues Pressure on Conspicuous Consumption

There’s an interesting vibe in the fashion story that syncs with efforts by the Chinese government to dampen enthusiasm for conspicuous consumption in China. Anne doesn’t mind if you call it faux modesty, given the price tags on some of these luxury brand pieces. Reviewing Zhong Lin’s AOC archives this morning, I quickly came upon my 2024 article: Conspiculous Luxury Consumption in China Challenged by Growing Income Inequality.

We have the same growing income inequality in America, a reality that is downplayed in hush, hush terms. To a major degree, our national psychology hasn’t even acknowledged the facts around our own ‘skewed to only the rich’ economic rewards, a reality probably worse than China’s. And so I note how W Magazine China has honored this very serious issue in Beijing — if not in Trump’s White House drowning in fake gold.

Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution

There’s also a strong Marie Antoinette undercurrent in the fashion story. London’s new V&A museum South Kensington shoe Marie Antoinette Style is now open until March 22, 2026. The ties between the most famous French queen and the French Revolution underscore just how serious an issue income equality is around the world, advanced by the Internet and new technologies.

Vintage Style Heritage Is ‘Yes’ in China

China openly solicits the help of Gen Z consumers in shedding a spotlight on conspicuous . Unlike in America and Europe, the vintage market is not as strong in China. The cultural stigma against secondhand goods, which are often associated with poverty and bad luck, is a significant barrier to economic penetration. This perception is slowly eroding among younger generations in major cities but is still very obvious in a comparative analysis between China and Europe. We assume America falls in the middle.

Gen Z in China is far more committed to unique designs and historic pedigree — rather than logos — in the brands they embrace. The facts and/or illusions of both historic pedigree and unique design are prolific in this fashion story for W Magazine China. ~ Anne