'Mounsey' takes a traditionally inspired trend by the tail

China, traditionally home to manufacturers, e-commerce platforms and service providers, is not usually a place where people expect to find homegrown fashion with international appeal, with much less room for appreciative fans.

Things are gradually changing though. With more young Chinese consumers buying clothes from domestic brands in recent years, 3ge3 project, a creative lifestyle brand and an artist collaboration platform in Shanghai, partnered with Youada, a Hangzhou-based artist to launch the Mounsey 2020 range of fashion products to mark the Chinese Year of the Rat, which starts on Jan 25.

In Chinese, the word for both "rat" and "mouse" is laoshu, so interpretations of the creature in the Chinese zodiac can vary between the two animals.

In this instance, unlike traditional images of a mouse, the character created by Youada for the 3ge3 project is not timid, but comes from the prairie, is strong and overbearing and is named Mounsey, which is a combination of "money" and "mouse". The artist says it symbolizes the meaning of the phrase "fortune brought by laoshu" in traditional Chinese culture.

In his interpretation, the artist has overturned the image of the zodiac sign with an anti-mainstream concept, and announced to the public that his muscle-bound mouse is the protagonist of the Year of the Rat with his bold imagination and deconstruction.

Each lunar year is linked to one of 12 animals, and their traits are attributed to people born during that year. Those born in the Year of the Rat are said to be intelligent, adaptable and optimistic.

This is the first collaboration between Youada and 3ge3 project. In this series, the visual elements such as exaggerated muscles, thick gold chains, and sports shorts in Youada's previous works are passed on to Mounsey.

Among his designs, the ripped rodent is seen walking with a yellow cat on a leash, as well as besting the feline in a basketball game, showing that the usual balance of power has been completely subverted by Youada's brush.

Other zodiac elements, such as red-crowned cranes, phoenixes, as well as clouds, Suzhou-style gardens and the architectural elements of chinoiserie, have become more prevalent in consumer goods like clothes, cosmetics and food products, spurring a niche business with tremendous growth opportunities.

Chinoiserie (pronounced shinwah-zay-ree), which started as an 18th-century decorative style employing Chinese motifs and techniques in art, architecture and furniture design, is now so dear to young Chinese consumers that they prefer to buy products that embody the style, says Youada, adding they believe such products make a statement about their personality.

"Previously, many fashion trends in China, such as jackets and T-shirts printed with English letters, came from abroad. In recent years, however, Chinese consumers, have begun to recognize their own culture more," he notes. "I think a T-shirt or sweater printed with Chinese characters with meaningful content is very attractive and good-looking as well."

The 33-year-old artist says that crossover branding is now a hot term for many sectors. Brand collaboration arouses consumers' curiosity, giving them a new reason to spend. It usually generates unexpected market feedback. As well as promoting the brand's image, it can also be used to boost sales.

According to 3ge3 project, Chinese shoppers have become more rational, and they do not blindly follow the crowd and imitate others. They want products with both commercial culture and consumer appeal.

Amid the ongoing consumption upgrade, 3ge3 project believes young shoppers are pursuing more exquisite and quality lifestyles. This requires brands to provide more value-added elements like attractive designs, personalized content and unique cultural aspects.

Established in 2011, 3ge3 project, now an independent brand, originated from Meishier, owned by Zuczug, a Shanghai-based multibrand platform based on a new lifestyle, which has been partnering with domestic and global artists to launch clothing products with zodiac-inspired elements for a number of years.

Zhang Qinghui, chairman of the China Fashion Association, says the re-emergence of chinoiserie as a hot fashion trend, is inevitable, given the nation's fast economic growth, and its attendant national pride.

"The phenomenon shows the cultural consciousness of young Chinese consumers and their recognition of local cultural elements. It also indicates their diversified and individualized spending preferences," Zhang says.