photography and words BEN BORTIS
editor ANANO SHALAMBERIDZE

October 2023 marked the complete return of Shanghai Fashion Week. 
It’s been four years since my return to the metropolis that is Shanghai, China– The city is quieter post-pandemic, but quiet does not equate to a feeling of being less alive, quite the contrary– Shanghai’s creative scene has shifted into an ever supportive community that can be deeply felt, as the city and it’s attendees celebrated the over 100 brands that showcased their collections.

Designers such as Mark Gong, Steven Oo of Osmos, Derek Chen & Alex Po of Ponder.er and notably Edison Chen of CLOT, with over 80 collaborative transcultural looks alongside Adidas, ALYX, and the North Face, truly brought the city to life presenting their collections. 

The days in Shanghai would start late to compensate for the long nights spent partying and conversing over delicious bowls of Lo Mein from the local street vendors. 

The guests, the street style photographers, and even the models, in their off-duty looks respectfully turned the whole city into their own runway as they showed off their own unique style. 

Shanghai’s Fashion Week is like none other I’ve experienced and with my trusted Leica in hand, I took it upon myself to capture its essence.

A special thank you to Boh Project for assisting me in bringing this story to life.