Chongqing - Inside a Saucony store at Chongqing International Finance Square on July 24, a sales assistant showed a Bridging News reporter a wool-blend running T-shirt designed to keep runners warm after exercise while remaining breathable. 

Against a broader backdrop of growing interest in running and outdoor activities, as well as consumers’ increasing attention to comfort and specialized functions, the exchange offered a small glimpse into how China’s premium sportswear market may be placing greater emphasis on technical materials, product performance and the overall shopping experience.

The Saucony store at Chongqing International Finance Square. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

Premium brands become the new growth engine

Bridging News surveyed several premium sportswear stores in Chongqing. According to a sales assistant at Saucony, synthetic sportswear can quickly wick away sweat in the city’s hot and humid summer. 

However, runners may feel uncomfortable after entering an air-conditioned building, where the rapid loss of body heat can cause a chill. Adding wool is intended to retain warmth without compromising breathability.

A Saucony short-sleeved shirt made primarily from wool. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

Nearby, Chinese outdoor brand Kailas displayed mountaineering suits designed for different altitudes, including an "8000GT" one-piece suit for expeditions at elevations such as Mount Qomolangma. 

Its climbing trousers were cut more loosely around the hips and crotch to support a wider range of movement. Instead of relying on celebrity endorsers, the brand sponsors mountaineering events to reach specialist users.

Kailas's "8000GT" one-piece suit. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

The products show how sportswear companies in China are moving beyond basic equipment. Brands are increasingly developing clothing and footwear for specific sports, environments, and consumer experiences, as buyers show greater interest in professional running, outdoor recreation, and premium lifestyle products.

Kailas slip-resistant outdoor hiking shoes. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

Proving the next generation

That shift is also changing who manages some of China's largest family-controlled sportswear companies.

A group of founders' children, many of them under 35, are taking charge of specialized brands that their parent groups expect to deliver faster growth than established mass-market businesses.

In July 2026, Ding Jiamin, the younger daughter of Xtep founder Ding Shuibo, became general manager of the company's Saucony division. Four months earlier, her elder sister, Ding Lizhi, had taken over as Xtep's chief financial officer.

At Anta Sports, Ding Shaoxiang, the son of Chairman Ding Shizhong, helped turn Descente from a small ski-focused business into a brand with annual retail sales exceeding 10 billion yuan (about 1.48 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025.

Ding Sirong, the son of Anta co-founder Ding Shijia, oversees Kolon Sport in China. The outdoor lifestyle brand recorded retail sales of more than 6 billion yuan in 2025, up 70% from a year earlier.

The appointments come as China's sports footwear and apparel market continues to expand. The market reached 598.9 billion yuan in 2025 and is expected to grow to 896.3 billion yuan by 2030, according to iiMedia Research.

Its survey found that 48.33% of consumers participated in outdoor activities two or three times a month. IiMedia analysts said demand for more professional and specialized products would push companies toward functional technologies and products designed for specific activities.

For Xtep, the contrast between its main brand and its professional sports business helps explain why Saucony has become strategically important.

Xtep Group's revenue rose 4.2% to 14.15 billion yuan in 2025. Revenue from the main Xtep brand increased 1.5% to 12.52 billion yuan. By comparison, the professional sports division, which includes Saucony and Merrell, generated revenue of 1.64 billion yuan, up 30.8%. Operating profit from the division rose about 45%.

Saucony has established a strong reputation among serious runners, ranking highly in major Chinese marathons and among sub-three-hour finishers. The challenge now is expanding beyond professional runners into a broader premium sports and lifestyle market.

Consumers often associate brands such as Hoka, On and Salomon not only with athletic performance, but also with commuting, fashion and lifestyle use. Saucony remains more closely linked to running shoes, marathons and performance technology.

Xtep has said it plans to reposition Saucony from a specialist running label into a broader premium sports and lifestyle brand. It intends to open high-end flagship stores in leading commercial districts and reach customers beyond competitive runners.

A display of Saucony shoes. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

Saucony had 175 stores in the Chinese mainland at the end of 2025 and aims to expand to 400 to 500 stores within five years.

Saucony also faces a more crowded market than earlier premium-brand success stories. It is competing with established running brands including Hoka, On and Asics, each of which has spent years developing technical credibility and consumer recognition.

Ding Jiamin's previous experience helps explain why Xtep selected her to lead the business.

After returning from studies in the United Kingdom in 2019, she joined Xtep and worked across several business functions. In 2021, she moved into product development and led a women's collection known as the "Half Sugar" series. The collection generated more than 100 million yuan in orders at a distributor meeting and became profitable in its first season.

Xtep President Tian Zhong described Ding as "excellent, young, very energetic and international," adding that she understood e-commerce and products.

She has also developed a large following on Chinese social-media platforms, giving her a direct connection with younger consumers. But brand consultant Chen Jingjing said personal influence can only play a supporting role.

Succession will be measured by performance

"An entrepreneur's personal brand can help a brand get started," Chen said. "But what is truly valuable is turning personal influence into brand assets, so that no matter why consumers first discover the brand, they ultimately continue purchasing because of the brand itself."

Anta's experience with Descente illustrates how a younger family executive can establish authority through business results.

The Descente Blanc concept store at Chengdu Taikoo Li. (Photo/Descente)

In 2016, Descente's annual sales in China were only tens of millions of yuan and it operated fewer than 10 stores. Ding Shaoxiang took charge of the brand's China business the following year, when he was about 22.

By 2025, Descente's retail sales in China had exceeded 10 billion yuan, making it Anta's third brand to reach that level after the Anta main brand and Fila.

Kolon Sport followed a different route. Under Ding Sirong, it focused on lighter outdoor activities, including urban commuting, camping and short-distance travel. The strategy helped broaden the brand's appeal beyond highly technical or extreme outdoor sports.

Together, Descente and Kolon show how specialist brands can serve two functions inside a family-controlled group: entering premium consumer markets and giving younger executives an operating platform on which to demonstrate their ability.

Chen said the pattern reflects a broader generational transition in Chinese consumer companies.

"First-generation entrepreneurs are good at manufacturing, distribution channels and supply chains," she said. "What the second generation needs to add is branding, globalization and consumer operations."

She said brands such as Descente, Kolon Sport and Saucony are important vehicles for their parent groups' premium and international expansion. They also provide a controlled environment in which younger managers can first prove themselves through the performance of an individual brand.

"This is also a risk-controllable succession mechanism," Chen said. "First manage one brand and prove the ability through performance, and then gradually assume greater group management responsibilities."