And what the city may lack in fashion sense, it more than makes up for with its abundant greenery, waterside cafe culture, and vibrant culinary scene. Here, an idea of a good night out means squeezing into a dimly lit hole-in-the-wall restaurant and feasting on fresh seafood and cold beer.

“Xiamen is one of those rare cities where you can work really hard and get a lot done but you can also relax,” said Ian Hylton, the president of Ms Min and former creative director of men’s wear for Ports, which maintains its China headquarters in Xiamen.

Unlike Ms. Wang, who sought out Xiamen as a refuge, the other designers in the so-called Xiamen gang settled here more by circumstance. Many, including Mr. Zhe, Ms. Liu of Deepmoss and Ms. Liu of Ms Min, grew up in the region.

But what keeps them here is more than inertia. Work-life balance aside, there are concrete incentives to running a fashion label out of Xiamen. For one, the operation costs can be much lower in Xiamen than in Shanghai, China’s de facto fashion capital, and Beijing, the nexus of China’s fashion media.

Ms. Wang estimated that she paid about one-quarter of what she would pay to rent a comparable studio space in Beijing. Skilled employees, like machinists, can also be easier to find, given the region’s history as a garment manufacturing hub.

Local designers can also apply for generous rent subsidies from the Xiamen city government, which has been eager to promote the city’s image as a contemporary fashion hub.