Vietnamese fashion presence in Chinese celebrity circles

Vietnamese fashion and artists have gained increasing visibility within Chinese celebrity circles through high-profile appearances.

In late August 2026, Vietnamese designer Phan Huy drew attention as several prominent Chinese actresses, including Yang Chaoyue, Zhang Shaohan, Ju Jingyi, and Bai Lu, were seen wearing his couture designs during various events and film promotions. These pieces included designs inspired by the architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty and the movement of the Huong River.

By early September 2026, the presence of Vietnamese talent continued at a high-profile Bvlgari jewelry exhibition in Shanghai. Vietnamese singer Ho Ngoc Ha attended the event wearing a Tamara Ralph design complemented by Bvlgari jewelry valued at approximately 42 billion VND. She was seen alongside Chinese star Liu Yifei, a global ambassador for the brand.

While the stars were observed interacting behind the scenes, a social media controversy emerged following the event. Observers noted that Liu Yifei posted photos to Instagram that cropped Ho Ngoc Ha out of a group shot, showing only herself with the brand’s CEO. Conversely, Ho Ngoc Ha shared the original, uncropped photo featuring both herself and Liu Yifei on her personal social media accounts.

This incident sparked significant debate on Weibo, garnering over 150 million views. Critics accused Liu Yifei of being “pretentious and disrespectful toward fellow Asian artists,” while supporters suggested the cropping was a “routine professional choice” or a staff error. Liu Yifei eventually deleted the post.