Variable stiffness composite laminates are fabricated by laying fibers in curved patterns， allowing for a tailored design of stiffness distribution. Compared with conventional composite laminates with a fixed bedding angle， variable stiffness composite laminates not only achieve reductions in weight and cost but also exhibit enhanced structural performance. With the advancement of the layup technology， automated layup techniques have enabled the implementation of the curved fiber layup， facilitating the evolution of layup design methodologies from single-angle straight layups to variable-angle curved layups.This paper commences with an exposition of the design and manufacturing methodologies， coupled with the finite element modeling of variable stiffness composite laminates. Subsequently， comprehensive insights are provided into the research advancements pertaining to the mechanical properties of variable stiffness composite laminates， encompassing aspects such as stiffness distribution， buckling characteristics， and failure behavior. Integrating this knowledge with the investigations conducted by the Composite Materials Engineering Automation Technology Research Center at Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics on the vibration characteristics of variable stiffness composite laminates， the vibration properties of these laminates are analyzed. In conclusion， the future research trend in the domain of variable stiffness composite laminates is discussed.