This year marks the 20th anniversary of Vogue China, and the milestone was celebrated in Shanghai last week at the annual Vogue Forces of Fashion gala. With a theme of “百花齐放” (A Hundred Flowers Bloom), the event captured Chinese celebrities in a garden of creativity and self-expression

Earlier in September, the anniversary issue set the tone for this year’s celebrations, one that’s ethereal and full of life. Shot by acclaimed photographer Elizaveta Porodina, the cover featured eight of China’s most prominent international supermodels in a soft, hazy, and painterly composition that highlighted a vision of femininity and strength.

Under the direction of Rocco Liu, who took the helm as editor-in-chief in 2024, Vogue China entered a new era of experimentation, bringing the focus back to fashion itself rather than celebrity spectacle. Liu, previously known for his imaginative red carpet themes during his tenure as editor-in-chief of GQ China, has brought renewed energy to Vogue. With its massive readership across the country, the magazine continues to shape China’s fashion discourse, and this year’s gala stood as one of the most anticipated nights in the fashion calendar.

Among the night’s most talked-about appearances was Mikah, a Japanese-Hawaiian singer-songwriter and model known for his bold, androgynous red carpet looks. Mikah wore a white bridal gown by Robert Wun, a designer who blurs gender boundaries and juxtaposes softness with structure. The gown flowed like a traditional wedding dress in the front, perfectly contouring the torso, while the back revealed sharp tailoring that formed the silhouette of a suit jacket.

Actor Gong Jun brought a touch of lighthearted whimsy, donning a look from KidSuper’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection. The outfit embodied the image of a painter in the garden, complete with splatters of paint across the jacket and overalls ensemble. The collection itself was inspired by designer Colm Dillane’s own illustrated children’s book, The Boy Who Jumped the Moon, a story inspired by The Little Prince.

Actress Zhong Chuxi stunned this year in a soft green gown with frilled edges and light pink flowers. It was a subtle nod to both Frida Kahlo and Claude Monet’s Woman with a Parasol.

Meanwhile, actress and singer Qi Wei took the floral theme quite literally, arriving in a dress adorned with real flowers offset by a sleek black bodice.

And then, finally, there was Liu Yifei, who once again went viral for her breathtaking look: a shimmering Elie Saab Fall/Winter 2025 gown embellished with sculpted flowers and paired with Bulgari gemstones. Yet it was the delicate pink, blue, and white baby’s breath flowers woven into her hair that truly stole the spotlight, with netizens joking that only Liu Yifei could make flowers look like glittering diamonds.

Where Tech Meets Fashion

Adding a futuristic twist to the glamour, this year’s promotional video was produced by Mediastorm (影视旋风), who’s often regarded as China’s very own MrBeast. Mediastorm has been China’s largest tech influencer for close to a decade, and through a collaboration with Apple, they shot a video using 60 iPhone 17 Pros connected through a genlock system, creating a mesmerizing “bullet time” effect. The result was a series of stunning, cinematic moments that captured China’s biggest female celebrities in slow motion:

Cover image via RedNote