Dazed expands with China launch in deal with streetwear platform Yoho

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Apr 23, 2019

The global appeal of the Dazed brand was underlined on Tuesday with news that the almost 30-year-old media phenomenon is to launch in China. Independent UK publishing firm Dazed Media has signed an agreement with Yoho Group, China's “largest streetwear platform” to launch Dazed China. 

Describing it as a "landmark partnership”, the two companies said that Dazed Media's overseas expansion has been facilitated by C Ventures, a venture capital fund that has previously backed both of them. So it's no surprise that Adrian Cheng, founder of C Ventures will be Chairman of the company behind the new edition.

It will launch in August and will include a bi-monthly print magazine and online platforms focused on global youth culture. The companies said that it will be “curating stories that will bridge the East and West across fashion, art, music and film.”

Dazed, which was founded by Jefferson Hack and Rankin Waddell in London in 1991, has been both an influencer on and a reflection of the twists and turns in youth culture in the ensuing three decades and the magazine, e-zine and linked events currently have a monthly audience of more than 7 million people.

It has strong global recognition and so its potential in China is huge. The country has embraced youth culture trends in recent years with the luxury and street fashion sectors booming and Yoho’s strength in the latter should be key to Dazed’s potential. The 14-year-old Chinese brand claims an audience of 35 million for its media, retail and lifestyle products.

Dazed said its Chinese edition will leverage Yoho’s “powerful multimedia content matrix and operational experience to explore and create new models in commercial distribution, e-commerce, new media products and events.”