A Chinese Woman Who Grew Up Feeling Isolated from Her Family
Started a Business with a Friend Using 10 Million Won
The Secret to Her Success: "Strong Mental Fortitude"
A Chinese woman who was abandoned in the mountains by her parents as a child because she was ill has become a sensation by building a fashion brand with annual sales reaching tens of billions of won.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on March 1, Huang Xuanni, 44, from Binzhou, Hunan Province, China, was born the sixth daughter among seven siblings and grew up feeling isolated. Her parents, who prioritized their only son, showered affection only on him and often could not even remember Huang's name. When Huang fell ill as a child, she was abandoned in the mountains by her parents, but managed to return home with the help of a passing stranger.
Her school days were also far from easy. Her middle school was located far from home, requiring her to cross mountains and walk nearly three hours each way to attend classes. She had only 1 yuan (about 212 won) as weekly allowance, and the food she brought was often taken by her friends.
However, Huang did not give up on her education. She majored in animal husbandry at Hunan Agricultural University, got married after graduation, and moved to Shenzhen to work at a logistics company. However, her marriage led to depression and domestic violence, ultimately resulting in divorce and the loss of custody of her daughter. Afterward, Huang resolved to live for herself.
The turning point in her life came in 2015. Huang quit her job and opened a clothing store on Taobao, one of China's largest online shopping platforms. With a capital of 50,000 yuan (about 10 million won), she and a friend started by purchasing small quantities of high-end women's clothing from a market in Shenzhen and selling them online. Huang took the photos, while her friend served as the model.
The business got off to a smooth start. Within a month, sales exceeded 100,000 yuan (about 21.26 million won). However, in 2017, a poor management decision left her with 5 million yuan (about 730,000 dollars) in debt, putting her in crisis.
Undeterred, Huang immersed herself in books and online lectures on brand management, business operations, and fashion design to regroup. In 2020, she launched her own brand, 'Mix Selection,' focusing on high-quality products for petite women. Notably, by November 2023, Mix Selection's Neo-Chinese style dresses had generated over 8.7 million yuan (about 1.843 billion won) in sales. Afterward, Huang paid off her debts and treated all her creditors to a celebratory feast.
During this process, Huang directly communicated with customers via social networking services (SNS), boosting brand loyalty. She is regarded as one of the female entrepreneurs in China who actively utilize SNS in the women's apparel industry. By 2025, her brand's annual sales surpassed 250 million yuan (about 53.1 billion won), and she expanded her business into overseas markets.
Huang attributes her success to her sharp fashion sense and strong willpower. She said, "I want to tell girls who feel suffocated by the constraints of family and marriage, like I once did, not to give up. If you can endure just a bit longer, there is hope."
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