What happened: What started TikTok as a joke has now become one of the most popular fashion trends among Gen Z men. Known as the bloke core, the style inspired by 1990s British pub culture has come to epitomize the stereotypical boy outfit: think flannel retro football, straight-cut jeans and scuffed sneakers. After a TikTok video by Brandon Huntley – which called bloke core the hottest trend of 2022 – went viral, the hashtag #blokecore has gained over 40 million views on the platform and 1.6 million views in Xiaohongshu.
This soccer-centric style has taken off globally thanks to the rise of casual wear, celebrity endorsements, anticipation for the FIFA World Cup and a series of brand drops. Unsurprisingly, Adidas is a player fully embracing the movement, launching a vintage football collection featuring Wales Bonner that sold out earlier this summer and even posting a master style guide on Xiaohongshu.
Adidas posted a master guide on its Xiaohongshu account. Photo: Xiaohongshu
Taking Jing: Block core is just one of the few trends currently sweeping Chinese social media. Also on the radar: “cadre style” (厅里厅气) fashion, a simple but elegant civil servant look consisting of white button-down shirts or polos, dark jackets and slacks. Although silly and seemingly old-fashioned, the posts highlighting the ensemble of officers have been collected. 4.6 million views in Xiaohongshu, presenting a compelling image of stability and job status amid a youth unemployment crisis.
Another is “Yama Style” (山系报), an urban outdoor clothing trend that started in Japan around 2010, but is making a resurgence in China thanks to growing interest in glamping and outdoor sports. A search on Xiaohongshu reveals a slew of OOTDs featuring hiking boots, bucket hats and vests in tones that blend in with the natural surroundings.
The frame style (left) and the Yama style (right) are the two fashion trends that are seeing a resurgence on Chinese social media. Photo: Xiaohongshu
These trends not only reflect changing values and hobbies on the continent – they also point to the growing opportunities in men’s fashion. According to the last of Xiaohongshu fashion knowledge ratio, posts about menswear are up 91 percent in the past six months compared to the previous six months, with “high-end fashion” and “clean looks” among the most popular content types for men. Like block-core Adidas, luxury names can capitalize on Gen Z culture: formal menswear players like Zegna, Coach and Burberry can tap into Cadre’s minimalist wardrobes, while outerwear makers like The North Face and Arc’teryx can easily fit. Yama style.
That being said, these fads will inevitably die. So instead of focusing on one fad, labels should prioritize building their relationships with the men of fashion in the country – a booming consumer group who is clearly willing to play with their clothes.
Take Jing reports on some of the top news stories and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product declines and mergers to heated debates on Chinese social media.
