Among his designs, the ripped rodent is seen walking with a yellow cat on a leash, as well as besting the feline in a basketball game, showing that the usual balance of power has been completely subverted by Youada's brush.

Other zodiac elements, such as red-crowned cranes, phoenixes, as well as clouds, Suzhou-style gardens and the architectural elements of chinoiserie, have become more prevalent in consumer goods like clothes, cosmetics and food products, spurring a niche business with tremendous growth opportunities.

Chinoiserie (pronounced shinwah-zay-ree), which started as an 18th-century decorative style employing Chinese motifs and techniques in art, architecture and furniture design, is now so dear to young Chinese consumers that they prefer to buy products that embody the style, says Youada, adding they believe such products make a statement about their personality.

"Previously, many fashion trends in China, such as jackets and T-shirts printed with English letters, came from abroad. In recent years, however, Chinese consumers, have begun to recognize their own culture more," he notes. "I think a T-shirt or sweater printed with Chinese characters with meaningful content is very attractive and good-looking as well."

The 33-year-old artist says that crossover branding is now a hot term for many sectors. Brand collaboration arouses consumers' curiosity, giving them a new reason to spend. It usually generates unexpected market feedback. As well as promoting the brand's image, it can also be used to boost sales.

According to 3ge3 project, Chinese shoppers have become more rational, and they do not blindly follow the crowd and imitate others. They want products with both commercial culture and consumer appeal.

Amid the ongoing consumption upgrade, 3ge3 project believes young shoppers are pursuing more exquisite and quality lifestyles. This requires brands to provide more value-added elements like attractive designs, personalized content and unique cultural aspects.

Established in 2011, 3ge3 project, now an independent brand, originated from Meishier, owned by Zuczug, a Shanghai-based multibrand platform based on a new lifestyle, which has been partnering with domestic and global artists to launch clothing products with zodiac-inspired elements for a number of years.

Zhang Qinghui, chairman of the China Fashion Association, says the re-emergence of chinoiserie as a hot fashion trend, is inevitable, given the nation's fast economic growth, and its attendant national pride.

"The phenomenon shows the cultural consciousness of young Chinese consumers and their recognition of local cultural elements. It also indicates their diversified and individualized spending preferences," Zhang says.