Why the Adidas ‘Tang’ jacket became the surprise fashion obsession of 2026

Why the Adidas ‘Tang’ jacket became the surprise fashion obsession of 2026

Every Lunar New Year, brands roll out predictable collections. Red sweaters. Zodiac animals. Limited-edition sneakers. Most of it blends together.

This year, one piece quietly cut through the noise: a Mandarin-collar Adidas track jacket with knotted frog buttons and a silhouette that echoes the Tang suit. It was not officially branded as a Chinese New Year item, but social media quickly renamed it the “Tang jacket.” The nickname stuck. So did the hype.

Initially released in China and select Asian markets, the jacket gained momentum after appearing at Shanghai Fashion Week. Within weeks, it was flooding TikTok and Instagram. Videos of people unboxing it, styling it or flying to China to get it racked up millions of views. In some cities, it sold out almost immediately. Resale prices climbed to several hundred dollars, CNN reported.

The design is simple but visually distinct. A standing Mandarin collar replaces the usual sports ribbing. The front closes with pankou fastenings instead of a zipper. The cut is recognisably athletic, but the details lean historical. It resembles garments worn during the Qing dynasty and earlier riding jackets known as ma gua.

What makes it interesting is timing.

In China, a broader movement known as “new Chinese style” has been reshaping fashion for years. Younger consumers are embracing reinterpretations of traditional silhouettes like the mamianqun skirt and Tang jackets, pairing them with sneakers or streetwear. It reflects growing cultural confidence and a desire to express identity without leaning on cliché dragon prints or obvious symbolism.

Adidas says the jacket was designed by its Shanghai team for the domestic market as part of a localisation strategy. The company has invested heavily in rebuilding its China business after sales dipped sharply in 2022. In 2024, it reported a 10 percent rise in revenue in the country, signalling a recovery.

But the jacket’s life did not stop in China.

It hit Western social media just as a meme culture dubbed “Chinesemaxxing” began circulating. Posts about learning Mandarin, drinking Chinese tea, or embracing aspects of Chinese culture were trending. The jacket became visual shorthand for that mood.

Among Asian diaspora communities, the humour took on another layer. Skits showed young Asian-Americans “reconnecting with their roots” while wearing the jacket, often in exaggerated or self-aware ways. One content creator joked that wearing it in China made him look like “an overseas Chinese desperately trying to reconnect.”

That self-awareness may be part of the appeal. It is not cosplay. It is not costume. It is a global sportswear brand translating traditional elements into something accessible.

For some, it represents cultural pride. For others, it is simply a cool jacket with good lines. Either way, it landed at the exact moment when identity, internet irony and fashion collided.

The real takeaway is not just that a jacket went viral. It is that a design rooted in Chinese history became mainstream without apology or exotic framing.

For Adidas, that is good business.

For many wearers, it feels like something else entirely.