Shennel Trading - Three Decades of Style, Growth and Fashion Innovation
Updated: 6 hours ago
Fashion designer and president of Shennel Trading, Qun “Aris” Ai with models and their representatives
In an industry where trends can change almost overnight, longevity is an achievement in itself. For designer Qun “Aris” Ai and her longtime business partner Haiying “Garrison” Shen, more than three decades in fashion have been defined by adaptability, creative evolution and steady expansion. Together, Aris Ai and Shen founded Shennel Trading Group in 1992 and introduced their own women’s clothing label, Aris A.
What began as an entrepreneurial venture in Southern California gradually developed into an international apparel business with a presence in thousands of boutiques and specialty stores. At the heart of that growth has been Aris Ai’s approach to design: creating clothing that feels distinctive and fashion-conscious while remaining wearable for everyday life.
Qun “Aris” Ai
Haiying “Garrison” Shen
From Southern California to a Growing Fashion Business
Two years after founding Shennel Trading Group, Ai and Shen established a location in the City of Industry, California, in 1994, operating as importers and wholesalers of women’s apparel. As the business expanded, so did the demand for space. In 2001, the company moved into a larger warehouse facility in Ontario, California, to accommodate its growth. Shennel Trading Group later relocated its offices and warehouse operations to Rancho Cucamonga, where the company is currently based.
Over the years, the Aris A brand has developed an extensive retail presence, with its products distributed to more than 2,000 boutique and specialty stores throughout the United States.
For Aris Ai and Shen, however, building the business involved more than increasing distribution. It meant continually rethinking what customers wanted to wear and finding ways to offer something fresh from one season to the next.
The Aris A Look
Aris A is a contemporary women’s fashion brand operating under its parent company, Shennel. The brand specializes in high-quality, boho-chic apparel and statement outerwear that highlights intricate textile craftsmanship. The brand specializes in the use of luxurious materials such as silk and velvet, creating collections that are often regarded as wearable works of art. Known for intricate hand-crafted details including delicate beading, meticulous embroidery, and fine crochet, the aesthetic merges classic silhouettes with modern novelty knits and bold prints. The signature Aris A. label brings an upscale look to everyday wear, catering to a diverse clientele ranging from independent boutiques to major department stores. By prioritizing high-quality fabrications and rich textures, the brand offers a unique perspective on contemporary fashion that balances artistic expression with commercial viability.
Fashion is often a balancing act between individuality and accessibility. Aris A has built its identity around that intersection. The label has become known for novelty knits, expressive prints and contemporary designs that bring an elevated quality to everyday dressing. Rather than focusing exclusively on formal or special-occasion fashion, the brand has sought to create clothing that allows women to introduce color, texture and personality into their regular wardrobes.
Bold patterns can transform a familiar silhouette. An unusual knit can make an otherwise simple garment feel distinctive. These details have become part of the language of Aris A. Ai’s designs reflect an understanding that many women want clothing that makes a visual statement without becoming impractical. That philosophy has helped the company navigate a fashion marketplace where customers increasingly expect versatility as well as style.
Designing in an Industry That Never Stops Changing
Few industries reinvent themselves as frequently as fashion. Colors change. Silhouettes change. Fabrics evolve. Consumer expectations shift. A design that feels new one season can appear familiar the next. For the Aris A brand, remaining competitive has meant responding to those changes while maintaining the personality of the label. Throughout the company’s history, Ai and Shen have emphasized the importance of following emerging trends while also looking ahead to what customers may want next. New prints, knits and contemporary silhouettes are continually introduced so that retailers and consumers can discover something different each season. That willingness to evolve has been an important part of the company’s endurance.
A fashion company can follow trends for a season. Sustaining a brand for more than 30 years requires something more: an ability to recognize which changes matter while maintaining a consistent relationship with customers and retailers. Shennel held a gala in 2022 to celebrate their 30th Anniversary and to honor those who have helped them achieve their success.
Shennel 30th Anniversary Gala in 2022
Building Relationships Across the Fashion Industry
As Shennel Trading Group grew, the company developed relationships with prominent retailers and fashion businesses. Over the years, those relationships have included Nordstrom, Chico’s FAS, Urban Outfitters, Stein Mart and the QVC shopping network, as well as major catalogs and other established fashion brands. The company also expanded beyond the United States, developing business in North American and European markets. This combination of wholesale experience, retail relationships and original design has given Shennel Trading Group a somewhat unusual position within the apparel industry. It is not simply a supplier of clothing.
Through Aris A, it is also the creator of its own designer label. That dual role has allowed Ai and Shen to experience fashion from several perspectives — from design and production to wholesale distribution and the constantly changing needs of retailers. From Boutiques to Hollywood
Aris A’s history also includes connections with the entertainment industry.
Qun “Aris” Ai and her team at Shennel Trading headquarters office in Southern California
The brand has created fashions for Hollywood personalities including Cher, Charlize Theron and Kelly LeBrock, bringing its designs into a world where fashion and celebrity frequently intersect.
For an independent apparel company that began in Southern California, such associations represent another chapter in the label’s evolution. Yet celebrity visibility is only one part of the Aris A story. The broader foundation of the company has been its long relationship with boutiques, specialty retailers and the women who ultimately wear the clothing.
The Beverly Arts News is sponsored by Art Hearts Fashion, Mogo, MDSUN, Shennel Trading, XAVVI, ISEGSTAR, World Peace One, Crab Grabber, InLight Foundation, Jiannan Huang Art Institute, Yi Ke Art in Beverly, Wenkang Xue Design Studio, and The Beverly Arts Foundation
