‘Chinamaxxing’ Isn’t a New Trend, European Aristocrats Have Been Doing It for Centuries

Scroll through social media right now and you’ll find a steady stream of Chinese aesthetics repackaged for global consumption. Whether it’s the power of Shanghai Fashion Week, the viral appeal of plush collectibles like Labubu dolls, or starting the day with a mug of warm apple-boiled water and qigong stretches: this is what the internet has dubbed ‘Chinamaxxing’. 

Once dismissed as old-fashioned or niche, these aesthetics have suddenly found themselves in vogue amongst those in the West with a TikTok account. All the while, offline (read: the real world), China dominates as a global superpower. And it's this omnipresence in news and cul...