The founders of Jiangnan Buyi are Wu Jian and Li Lin. Both are alumni of Zhejiang University. They are the controlling shareholders and executive directors of Jiangnan Buyi. Wu Jian serves as the chairman, and Li Lin serves as the chief creative officer, leading the design business.

Wu Jian and Li Lin do not have professional design backgrounds. Li Lin graduated from Zhejiang University in 1992, majoring in chemistry, while Wu Jian, two years ahead of his wife, graduated in 1990, majoring in refrigeration equipment and cryogenic technology.

Wu Jian previously told the media that after graduating from college, he was assigned to the oil fields in the north, while Li Lin was assigned to the chemical plant in Hangzhou. After that, because they felt that "being assigned to work as screws in a state-owned enterprise could not unleash their energy," the two finally left their jobs and started their own business.

At first, they opened a small store in Hangzhou Clothing Market. Li Lin first purchased goods from Guangdong, and then tried to design and set up a production line by herself. The business continued to grow. Wu Jian and Li Lin opened their first store in 1996. In 1997, they established Jiangnan Buyi, registered the JNBY trademark, and welcomed the first member of the design team.

The high premium of Jiangnan Buyi mainly comes from its design, but in recent years, it has repeatedly overturned due to design. Clothes, bags and promotional materials launched by brands such as JNBY, Kuaishou and less have been pointed out many times as suspected of creative plagiarism.

Cheng Weixiong, general manager of Shanghai Liangqi Brand Management Co., Ltd., told Times Weekly reporters that Jiangnan Buyi has indeed achieved a good industry reputation in terms of high-quality products and niche products. Cheng Weixiong also pointed out that Jiangnan Buyi has not yet gotten rid of the characteristics of the local shoe and clothing industry that is dominated by plagiarism and imitation.