The British Fashion Council (BFC) is helping UK designers make inroads in China - from finding a space, to negotiating contracts or licensing arrangements. Its looking to plug into independent retailers across China that reach customers through social platforms like WeChat and Weibo, and sell through those channels directly as well. BFC is looking at partners that can help them open retail stores and the big e-commerce players that can help them in mass distribution.

From buyers to fashion writers, Chinese consumers are drawn to the creativity of British design. The Balancing, a chain of Chinese boutiques, sells top British designers including Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham and Anya Hindmarch.

Chinese spending accounts for one-third of global luxury market. In 2018, the country’s luxury goods market posted its second straight year of 20 per cent growth. China is expected to overtake the US as the world’s largest fashion market in 2019. However, while wealth is rising, hefty import taxes are driving the cost of western luxury labels beyond the reach of many. Chinese customers are experimental, with a taste for clothes that are vibrant and sculptural yet feminine. Western brands have long eyed the potential of China’s growing middle class, seeking to find their way into the lucrative but sheltered market.