Theres no question that Chinese fashion is starting to make inroads on the international runway—just take a look at the roaring success of the Met Galas China-themed ball in 2015， or the various overseas fashion weeks that have seen Chinese designers garner huge acclaim.

Theres a difference， though， between winning headlines， and establishing a fashion industry with far-reaching appeal， quality， and consistency. Designers are sometimes caught between keeping pace with changing global trends， and retaining their roots; for some brands， international renown doesnt translate to success back home. Whether its wholesalers peddling knock-offs online， or environmental issues degrading the supply of raw materials for the factory， there are challenges every step of the way.

This issues cover story takes the measure of the industry， from designers to buyers to one of the countrys biggest mainstream brands， to find out what the future holds. Elsewhere， TWOC looks at the growing phenomenon of schools for child stars， meets some of the celebrities being created by the hit app Douyin， exposes the new generation of scammers plaguing WeChat， casts a curious eye at the newfound popularity of a childhood cold remedy abroad， and takes a dip to see how the Chinese bathhouse

is faring...

Robert Foyle Hunwick

Managing Editor