Athletics Ascendant

The fashionable vintage-influenced design is quite a departure from Li-Ning's previous products and the new image has proven to be a big surprise for many.

"Designers this time around are all from the Li-Ning company; we didn't cooperate with outside designers," says Hong. "We have our own fostering system and the ability was there already. These two Fashion Weeks were a great chance to change people's impressions of Li-Ning."

After the warm reception, the brand's not resting on its laurels. In August, a Li-Ning popup shop in Shenzhen, called Ning Space, lasted 10 days, blending high fashion and sportswear. The mirrors and lighting there formed a fantasy world filled with technology and mixed concepts of space. "We have received numerous invitations for collaboration," says Hong. "In the second half of 2018, we have crossovers and joint cooperation."

"Worship of sports, champion quality and never being content with the current situation - these form the Li-Ning spirit," says Hong. This 28-year-old Chinese sports brand has never stopped moving forward with ambition and confidence. In a fast-changing and rising China, there's certainly much more to come from Li-Ning.

- CDLP