Some 400 brands and designers were featured at MODE this year. Photos Provided to China Daily

Shanghai native Gu Jiayi had never heard of homegrown designer brand Jade en Plus till one Saturday afternoon when she was making her way back to the office for overtime work. The 28-year-old accountant was stopped by a scalper who was attempting to sell her a ticket to the brand’s fashion show and she managed to strike a bargain with the latter, buying the ticket for just 50 yuan ($8), less than what she had spent on her lunch.

Gu spent less than 30 minutes inside the black tent at the grounds of the Shanghai Fashion Week, attending her first ever fashion show, though she concluded that what she saw did not quite resonate with her own style. She did, however, post a few pictures of the show on her social network, labelling them as “the beautiful little things that brightened up a working weekend”.

Founded in 2003, Shanghai Fashion Week has become the most important event on China’s fashion calendar and is attended by some of the world’s best known designers who are trying to connect to the world’s potentially largest and fastest-growing fashion market. This year, a total of 50 brands and designers from home and abroad have graced the nine-day event. Marking the opening of the event was Ports 1961’s star-studded debut show in Shanghai, which was attended by American model Kendall Jenner and reality show icon Paris Hilton.