A baby-blue Tencel midi with ruffled edges and a crimson cheongsam gown with an embroidered illusion back sit in the same dress department, and almost nobody needs both in the same week. That is the trouble with searching for a Chinese dress brand: each label has a lane. Here are nine, ordered from the dress you could wear tomorrow to the one you plan an evening around.
Kroche: lace and embroidery for daylight
Start here if your week is brunches, dates and warm-weather dinners. Kroche works mostly in A-line midis and minis softened with lace trim, embroidery and flutter sleeves. The Lily of the Valley Lace A-line Dress pairs an original lily-of-the-valley print with French lace trim and a drawstring waist. The Tencel Embroidered Ruffle A-line Dress, in baby blue or black, has a wide neckline and an airy shape you can wear all day. For a longer line, the French Lace Long Dress comes in a soft misty peach pink. Sizing runs S to L; the Kroche collection also has navy and milk-tea colorways.
SHUSHU/TONG: bows, structure and the slip dress
If you searched "shushu tong dress," you probably have a bow in mind. The Elegant Bow Midi Dress comes in black, chestnut brown and brown with one standout bow; the Bow-Detailed Satin-Blend Midi Slip Dress puts a delicate one at the waist. The label's other signature is structure at short lengths: the Brown Pleated Structured Dress with its sharp pleating, the Strapless Bustier Mini Dress, and a Ruffled Wool-Blend Sleeveless A-Line Dress with a sculptural ruffled neckline. Most sizes pair letters with numbers, XS/6 through L/12. Shop the SHUSHU/TONG collection.
VOCK: the waist first
VOCK builds most of its dresses around a cinched waist. The Waist-Cinching Blazer Dress is the one to know: a gray mini with a subtle stripe and sharp tailoring that reads as a suit across the room and a dress up close, right for the commute and dinner after. Around it sit a Trench-Inspired Pleated Waist Dress with a lapel collar, a Square-Neck Backless Camisole Dress for nights out and a Waist-Cinching Little Black Maxi Dress for formal dinners. Some styles stop at S and M, so check sizes. See the VOCK collection.
LACEMADE: French vintage lace, from garden party to wedding
LACEMADE is the most searched name here, and it earns that with range: one language of French vintage lace, from sundress to wedding dress. Lightest are the Daisy Kite French Vintage Floral Lace Dress and the Vintage Pastoral Printed Lace Slip Dress, spaghetti-strap summer pieces in long or short styles. Then comes corsetry. The Vintage Lace V-Neck Dress Corset Belt Set pairs a lace maxi with a structured corset-style belt, and the Vintage Lace-Patchwork Floral Mermaid Dress is sold as a dress, a corset or a skirt. At the top sit the Candlelit Tears Antique Lace Corset Wedding Dress, sculpted for weddings and engagements, and the French Vintage Court-Style Satin Slip Gown with a full, dramatic skirt. Start at the LACEMADE collection or our LACEMADE dresses deep-dive.
YZZI HE: mermaid maxis in lace and sequin
YZZI HE returns again and again to the mermaid maxi, fitted through the body and flaring at the hem, and changes the surface. The Floral Reverie Embroidered Lace Mermaid Dress comes in white, black, brown, gray and khaki for banquets and weddings. The Shimmer Siren Sequin Bodycon Mermaid Dress is all-over sequins for cocktail events, and the Starlit Pearl Sequin Mesh Mermaid Gown layers pearl-like sequins over sheer mesh. For a softer evening, the Jasmine Beaded Halter Knit Mermaid Dress does the shape in knit. Sizing is S to L. Explore the YZZI HE collection.
SHEER LUCK: lace fishtails and mesh
SHEER LUCK is the guest-list label: weddings, formal dinners, any invitation with a dress code. The Ariel Luxury Lace Fishtail Dress, off-shoulder in white or black, has a fitted bodice and fringe at the fishtail hem so it moves when you do. The Off-Shoulder Mesh Corset Gown comes in pink, champagne and latte, and the Thea Strapless Mesh Backless Dress adds fishbone structure. The Laura Lace Waist-Cinched Long Sleeve Dress is the mini option. Several styles come in four colors, handy when matching a wedding palette. Visit the SHEER LUCK collection.
BLOOD SUPPLY: velvet gothic and dragon embroidery
BLOOD SUPPLY is the outlier, and the most fun. Its evening dresses draw on Victorian gothic and vampire aristocracy: the Velvet Gothic Mermaid Dress frames a deep V with heart-shaped panels and small devil-horn accents, and the Feather Gothic Train Dress builds wing-like volume from layered black feathers. Then come Chinese motifs. The Washed Denim Dragon Qipao Dress reworks the qipao in washed cotton stretch denim with a dragon-pattern jacquard, and the Dragon Embroidered Corset Denim Dress, in a low-key washed palette, is calm enough for daytime. Shop the BLOOD SUPPLY collection.
Selene Chow: embroidered cheongsam gowns
Selene Chow is where the cheongsam goes black tie. Most gowns pair a halter or high neckline with dense embroidery and one dramatic extra: the Mint Green Embroidered Halter Cheongsam comes with a detachable feather-trimmed shawl, and the Ice Blue Embellished Halter Cheongsam Gown ends in an oversized bow train. Several trains, capes and shawls are detachable, so the drama can come off later. The Crimson Embroidered Illusion Back Cheongsam Dress is the cleanest entry point, with tonal embroidery and button accents on an illusion back panel. See the Selene Chow collection.
CROSSQUEEN: sculptural couture gowns
Nothing CROSSQUEEN makes is subtle. These are ball gowns built on volume: layered tulle, structured waists, sculpted roses. The Silent Jellyfish Glow Iridescent Blue Couture Gown has a luminous, light-catching finish; the Nightfall Black Tulle Ball Gown does the drama in black with floral accents; the Satin Off-Shoulder Gown with Sculpted Roses works in rich blue. For quieter couture, the Icy Serene Sculpted Silken Gown relies on drape and a bamboo-leaf crinkle texture. The beige Annie Princess Embellished Tulle Dress adds lace details and bone support at the bodice. These are gala and stage dresses, and they know it. Browse the CROSSQUEEN collection.
Prefer to shop by piece? Our best Chinese dresses of 2026 picks are the companion guide, and the freshest pieces land first in new arrivals.