News Reporter | Song Jianan
The first-generation internet celebrity Wen Wan didn’t fade into obscurity after receiving a massive tax fine of over six million yuan. Instead, she’s staged a comeback through a matrix of accounts, diving headfirst into the clothing business.
On August 24th, our team noticed that when you type “Wen Wan” into the Douyin search bar, dozens of accounts pop up with almost identical names and profile pictures. Her main account, “温婉Wenwan_” which boasts 5.639 million followers, has been restricted from new follows by the platform. However, other accounts like “Wen Wan Official Flagship Store,” “Wen Wan Authorized Account,” and “Wen Wan (Original Outfit Picks)” are still actively running. Interestingly, Wen Wan herself rarely appears in live streams or product videos anymore.
The “Wen Wan Official Flagship Store” has 28,000 followers and cumulative sales of 80,000 items. In their videos, hosts model various clothes, many of which seem to mirror the styles and cuts of big international luxury brands. For instance, in a video on the “Wenwan Wenwan (Fashion Trends)” account, the host promotes a “textured black jacket, loose and casual coat” for 458 yuan, claiming, “The original is by YSL Saint Laurent… you’re saving twenty grand by buying this. We use the exact same fabric.” The host even emphasizes, “Even without the logo, you can tell this wasn’t cheap.” This jacket is currently sold out, with over 200 units purchased.
But when we asked the store’s customer service if these were knockoffs, they insisted the clothes are from Wen Wan’s own brand, designed by her in-house team, and denied copying the original versions.
As for the quality of these clothes, according to a report from Blue Whale News, some consumers say the clothes look great online but in reality, “the craftsmanship is poor, there are loose threads everywhere, the fabric feels super cheap, and I basically returned it immediately. I wouldn’t buy again.”
On the Black Cat complaint platform, multiple grievances are directed at Wen Wan’s stores. The common complaints revolve around shoddy workmanship, a huge gap between the actual product and the live stream demo, and poor after-sales support. Some orders also take forever to ship, leading many buyers to just request a return and refund as soon as the package arrives.
Mention Wen Wan, and many netizens will remember that viral underground parking garage hand-gesture dance video from 2018. Back then, Xu Jingwan, her real name, skyrocketed to fame with that catchy BGM clip, gaining over 12 million followers in just ten days, making her Douyin’s first true phenomenon-level influencer. But soon after her rise, her original account got shut down by the platform due to negative press about flaunting wealth.
In January of this year, Wen Wan was exposed for selling down jackets filled with “flying silk” (a cheap filler) during the 2025-2026 season, which led to her store’s products being cleared out.
Fast forward to July 10th, and the Third Inspection Bureau of the Hangzhou Municipal Tax Service under the State Taxation Administration publicized the details of their investigation into the tax evasion case of the online host Xu Jingwan.
According to the official notice, from 2021 to 2023, Xu Jingwan was engaged in live-streaming sales on online platforms. By using personal bank accounts to hide income and converting the nature of her income, she failed to pay a total of 3.1345 million yuan in personal income tax and VAT. In December 2025, the Third Inspection Bureau, acting on the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Administration of Tax Collection” and other relevant regulations, ordered her to pay back the taxes, plus late fees and a fine, totaling 6.3196 million yuan. All the owed taxes, late fees, and fines have been fully collected and turned over to the state treasury.
A spokesperson from the Third Inspection Bureau emphasized that hiding income through private accounts and converting income types to evade taxes is a clear violation of the tax collection law.
But here’s the kicker: even before and after the fine was finalized, Wen Wan had already set up her new commercial entities and account matrix. Apart from the many Douyin accounts, she also has a certified “Wenwan wenwan” store on Taobao, which is part of the same business system as her Douyin Blue V account “Wen Wan Official Flagship Store.”
The Taobao store’s business license shows the operating entity is Xiamen Wan Defu Clothing Co., Ltd., which was registered on December 16, 2025. The legal representative is Zhuang Qincai, the registered address is in Huli District, Xiamen, and the registered capital is 1 million yuan.
Tianyancha data reveals that the shareholders of Xiamen Wan Defu Clothing are Hangzhou Weiweiwan Network Co., Ltd. and Guangzhou Wan Decai Clothing Co., Ltd., holding 55% and 45% stakes respectively. Hangzhou Weiweiwan Network was established in April 2026, with Xu Jingwan as its legal representative and 1 million yuan in registered capital. Xu Jingwan is also the actual controller and majority shareholder of Hangzhou Weiweiwan, holding 51% of its shares.
Industry analysts point out that being fined doesn’t necessarily wipe out an influencer’s business acumen. Many penalized practitioners adopt a “split account and entity” strategy. They transfer their personal IP to a newly registered company and use a bunch of scattered accounts to spread the risk. Even if the main account is restricted, the entire supply chain, stores, and distribution channels can keep humming along.
But for the platforms, this kind of matrix-account traffic redirect and copying high-end brand designs poses a real challenge for content moderation and product oversight. And for the average shopper, catchy phrases like “original fabric” and “same as luxury brand” in live streams deserve a second, more skeptical look.
