The fashion industry has been actively incorporated into cross-industry collaborations across various markets. However, limited research has examined how such collaborations contribute to brand narrative development, particularly in traditionally non-fashion sectors like the automotive industry. Drawing on the cultural branding theory, this research investigates how fashion-automotive collaboration contribute to brand narrative development and communication from a cultural branding perspective. It also explores approaches to develop resonating brand narratives using such collaborations, particularly within the context of global marketing in Chinese market targeting Gen-Z. Employing a qualitative approach, data were collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings illustrate how fashion collaboration, as a lifestyle-oriented and aesthetically driven medium, support the creation and communication of brand myths across cultural touchpoints such as co-creation, design philosophies, and community spaces. The study identifies three core strategies for effective brand narrative development: the cultivation of a culturally relevant brand myth, the use of fashion as a symbolic and experiential communication medium, and deep contextual embedding within local cultural environments. At the same time, tensions were identified in balancing authenticity with scalability across markets and consumer segments, raising extended understanding of the universal application of cultural branding. This research contributes to cultural branding theory by examining its relevance to cross-industry branding and highlighting limitations in its assumptions about audience targeting and global brand narrative. It also offers practical insights for brands seeking to innovate through lifestyle fashion collaborations and culturally driven storytelling strategies.