“Macho pink†menswear takes over in China
After shying away from the colour, men in China are warming up to wearing pink.
Celebrities are setting the tone. At this year’s Grammy Awards, Trevor Noah, Justin Bieber and Travis Barker wore shades of the hue. Actor Billy Porter wore a bright pink Valentino suit from the brand’s special Valentino Pink Collection, which featured a total of 81 all-pink styles. Sebastian Stan wore a look from the collection to the Met Gala, making a hot-pink statement.
On Chinese social media and e-commerce platforms, boys are matching and wearing pink, while pink sneakers have exploded onto the fashion scene. A pair of pink Kevin Durant basketball shoes for sale on Nike’s Tmall flagship store attracted positive comments. It’s a colour that’s also currently sweeping e-sports, along with other long-standing male-dominated areas, marking a shift in aesthetic for male consumers. Catching up with other parts of the world, men in China are increasingly willing to wear pink, changing up norms and opening up a new opportunity for brands to appeal to a more adventurous customer.
Decoding “macho pink”
In September 2020, TikTok launched a global #MachoPink challenge inspired by a video shared by a TikToker showing off his pink-forward style. The hashtag has received 130 million views, while searches for the phrase gained traction throughout 2021. According to TikTok user data, 66 per cent of the hashtag’s followers are men. On the male-dominated platform Dewu, pink basketball shoes are trending; while users on Xiaohongshu have posted more than 70,000 times on the topic.
Boosted by social media, colours can act as a secondary logo and consumers often associate specific colours with specific brands. However, it’s important to select the right shade to attract consumers. Jenny Clark, colour director at forecasting agency WGSN, said that millennial pink has become a key colour of the moment: it's gender-neutral, and represents youthfulness and fun, as well as versatility. Hot pinks, which are trending now, make a bolder statement.
Founder of Gen Z-focused mall Stu Wenxun, says that younger generations also use social media to look for ways to garner social currency. The colour pink is unconventional and distinctive, making it favoured by male consumers who want to express their unique personality. Read More...
