In 2011, third-year college student Huang Yihan started a personal photo studio with his partner Wu Yuqi, a makeup artist, to service their schoolmates in the Zhejiang Communication University’s broadcasting department who needed outstanding professional pictures. A decade later, the modest venture has turned into an empire with over 6 million users . 

Today, Himomaster (海马体) is the favored cross-border collaboration partner of many beauty and fashion names. Dao Nguyen, founder of fragrance and beauty marketing agency Essenzia by Dao, believes that “besides its reputation for integrated professional services including makeup and clothing rental, the high standards of Himomaster and its high price range are perfectly congruent with the positioning of beauty and luxury brands.” For instance, it was the very first domestic studio that British cosmetics label Charlotte Tilbury ever teamed up with. 

With a dream of “making the world more beautiful,” Himomaster is more than an ordinary photo studio. From tapping the latest hanfu hype driven by the popular C-drama A  Dream of Splendor to creating Harry Potter’s Hogwarts school uniforms, Himomaster is drawing on fast-moving trends to fulfill millennial and Gen Z’s wants and needs. All of this goes well beyond the still image. 

In an era where photo studios are gradually being replaced by smartphones, Himomaster has managed to inject fresh energy into this sunset sector by helping companies create viral topics. Here, Jing Daily analyzes their three most meaningful collaborations.

Himomaster offered three shooting styles for its collab with Charlotte Tilbury. Photo: Himomaster

The Collaboration: With a mission to break prejudices on the color pink, London-based beauty line Charlotte Tilbury and Himomaster partnered up to showcase the different shades and attitudes that the long-misinterpreted hue can express. The collaboration, entitled “Pink Lady,” explored three different shooting and makeup styles — Elegant Girl, Modern Lady, and Party Queen — to show the sweet, cool, daring, and fun aspects of the tint. Not only were customers able to book shoots at select Himomaster locations, but they were also given access to Charlotte Tilbury’s hit makeup series Pillow Talk.

To amplify the social reach, Himomaster and Charlotte Tilbury also launched the Pink Lady challenge asking users to share before-and-after pictures of themselves a year apart to show their dynamic personalities. On Xiaohongshu, many netizens took part in the initiative and some were reposted by the house to further enhance the engagement. According to Launchmetrics data, the partnership received an impressive $160,000 (1.14 million RMB) Media Impact Value (MIV).

The Verdict: Photoshoots and makeup go hand-in-hand, and this campaign immediately resonated with fans of both disciplines. Additionally, by picking a color that is often associated with controversial messaging, the two managed to create a heated conversation around their tie-up. Olivia Plotnick, founder of Chinese social media content & strategy agency WAI social, stated that “through the pink color which the public is familiar with (but often dare not try), both parties had the possibility to show their fashion sense and professionalism.” Last but not least, the initiative also attracted a wave of male fans, helping both groups to reach a larger, more inclusive audience and explore new potential targets for the future.

Himomaster tapped China’s sports trend by partnering with Lululemon. Photo: Xiaohongshu

The Collaboration: Niche sports activities — frisbee, land surfing, and cycling — are filling social media feeds due to digital natives’ propensity to share their everyday lives on blogging apps. In light of this trend, Himomaster launched the option of sports photoshoots for its users. To promote the new project it cooperated with the popular athleisurewear make Lululemon to conduct offline yoga training. People attending the sessions could receive beautiful pictures captured by Himomaster’s professional photographers while they were exercising. “It is a good way to create exposure and a special bond with youngsters willing to create memories — and share the results on social media,” commented Nguyen. As per Launchmetrics’ findings, the collaboration hit $13,600 (96,800 RMB) MIV.

The Verdict: As rising wellness awareness pushes young people to pick up exercise habits and new sports hobbies, events around this theme receive great interest from locals. Plotnick believes that, with young demographics enthusiastically embracing outdoor activities, the collaboration benefited from its perfect timing. “The initiative closely integrates the brand image with the needs of consumers,” she remarked.  

Himomaster partnered with She Uemura to help students take good ID photos. Photo: Himomaster

The Collaboration: After the graduation season, college students are usually busy applying for jobs. To help graduates stand out among the thousands of CVs (which in China, usually come with ID photos), Himomaster and Shu Uemura came together to create the perfect lighting and makeup combination for an ID photo. The concept has been made available in over 115 Himomaster photo studios, allowing students from all over the country to access the service easily. The promotional post attracted many netizens to share their first ID photoshoot experience. In total, the team-up received $67,400 (480,000 RMB) MIV as per Launchmetrics .

The Verdict: Thanks to its nuanced understanding of Chinese culture, traditions, and lifestyles, the homegrown photo studio Himomaster shrewdly taps important occasions to create topical conversations and cater to the needs of the young. This collab is a case in point. And the business now benefits from a strong reputation, bolstered by its savvy choice of partners. Plotnick explains how “Himomaster is famous for its exquisite ID photoshoots and Shu Uemura’s eyebrow pencil is also known for being one of the best products in the beauty industry. Therefore, when the two brands launched their campaign, it was a very short communication journey for consumers to understand the value behind it.” Wise, careful choices have meant a string of successes for the outfit. It’s exciting to imagine what might be next.

What Happened: In the Parisian suburbs near Charles de Gaulle airport, a select few were invited to Balenciaga’s Spring 2023 collection. A collaboration with Spanish artist Santiago Sierra, the dark oppressiveness of wet soil covered the venue, from walls to underfoot, and even formed the runway itself: a filthy, dystopian building site.

The show opened with none other than Kanye West wading through the dirt path along to a dense soundtrack by BFRND. He was followed by 74 models wearing an assortment of distressed jeans, hoodies, and eveningwear, as well as, of course, a curation of accessories and props. These included neon snake-like scarves (which seemed to move as they bounced up and down upon the wearer), oversized bags with armholes, prosthetic baby dolls, and…a Lays crisp-packet.

Kanye West and Bella Hadid in Balenciaga’s Spring 2023 collection. Photo: Courtesy

The Jing Take: When you think of luxury, what is the very last thing that springs to mind? Mud. Dirt. Is it not blasphemous then to use a €1,000 (7,000 RMB) sneaker to splosh around in this? “No, because it’s real,” said Demna backstage. “The last show looked at snow, so what happens when that melts? You are left with mud.” This was his starting point. But it went deeper, and the set became a metaphor: for digging for truth, for being — literally — down to earth. 

In China, the livestream drew over 30 million views on Weibo, with the brand already being a Gen Z favorite. KOL Mia Kong, who flew in for Paris Fashion Week, told Jing Daily : “Models as “Young ‘dads’ carrying their babies on the runway was very impressive. In short, very Balenciaga, very Demna, naive, cold, and beautiful.” Homegrown mandopop king Jay Chou and the Hong Kong star Sammi Cheng were also present. (Netizens were surprised to see them united again: these two names once cooperated in a beverage advertisement, 18 years ago.)

In August, Balenciaga’s Trash Pouch priced at $1,790 (12,104 RMB) hit the Weibo hot search list because it resembled a “garbage bag.” Related topics have been viewed over 250 million times even though the item was never available on the official Chinese website. But there’s no mistaking that the appetite is there. In September, the house opened its first Guangzhou store in the mall Taikoo Hui Guangzhou so as to continue its wooing of the mainland.

Recommended ReadingWill Balenciaga Release Its Viral Trash Bag In China?By Sadie Bargeron

In the hands of Demna, Balenciaga is far removed from its roots but this event shows the power of his disruptive genius. What’s striking is how many ways there are to read what is ostensibly a simple, sensationalist act: from themes of reality in a post-truth world, to the references to Pina Bausch, or an undeniable sense of the show’s stark environmental warning. The designer, in his own words, hates labels, hates being put in a category. Good. It’s exactly this kind of multi-layered, instigative approach that will play well in China — where thinking outside the box is an absolute must. 

The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

According to recent research findings, one in two luxury customers is likely to switch his or her preferred brand over the next two years. In line with this, Équité Research estimates that up to 50 percent of the existing luxury brands today won’t survive by 2030. A mass exodus of brands is on the horizon.

The driving force is the deep disruption happening in luxury. Gen Z, Web3, rapidly evolving client expectations, and lifestyle shifts are creating changes at an exponential speed that is overwhelming most brand managers. In fact, the magnitude of change is so dramatic that most brands are losing pace compared to the best-in-class brands. 

These are brands that have full clarity on their storytelling and distinct client experiences. And they combine both traits with best-in-class AI powered consumer sentiment sensing systems that can detect even the slightest deviations in client behavior. What we observe is that the top 10 brands that are most advanced are also those that invest most in story, experience, and technology, thus widening the gap between the top 11 and below.

Hence, many brands that underinvest in brand equity are not even aware that they are losing competitiveness with each passing day. This puts them at risk of becoming obsolete once Gen Z becomes the most important client group, which will happen somewhere around 2027. The clock is ticking.

Why is this so critical? Picture a situation when you buy a luxury item and something goes wrong. In times of e-commerce, this may be a delivery delay or a damaged product. If the brand does not fix the situation immediately and proactively, the client will do one thing: dump you. While it can happen in any product category, in luxury any client issue is catastrophic. People buy luxury because they expect extreme value — they look for something special. Almost like falling in love.

Recommended ReadingWhy Consumer Breakups Are Luxury’s Costliest MistakeBy Daniel Langer

And then something goes wrong. Maybe an arrogant salesperson. Maybe the client does not feel valued. Maybe extended waiting times. There are many reasons, but when we are “in love” with a brand, we trust. We believe our love will be returned. And when we don’t feel the same value returned to us, trust is broken and the brand love falls apart. 

Breakups happen more often than brands expect, and the high anticipated rate of brand change indicates that customers are growing increasingly impatient with brands. Many clients of Rolex had to wait a year or more even for the most basic of their watches. I witnessed myself how during the last 12-18 months many Rolex stores around the world had literally no watches they could sell. 

Even Hermès, the house selling the world’s most iconic handbag, the Birkin, is receiving backlash for forcing clients to buy items they don’t want to qualify for purchasing a Birkin. In a recent discussion with my luxury MBA students, two previously loyal Hermès buyers reported that they started to lose patience with the policies of the brand and long wait times. What was acceptable for many years can lead to a breakup by Gen Zers, who expect inclusivity rather than exclusivity. And who have zero patience if their time is wasted.

The brands that put the management of the customer relationship at the center of what they do and who have the ability to go above and beyond in value creation will emerge much stronger. They will extend the share of heart, grow quickly, and become more profitable as their ability to price increases and as consumers come back to buy more. 

What should brands do? In order to be maximally consumer-centric, brands need to think differently. In other words, they need to shift their focus from products to planning a holistic customer journey in which every detail is mapped, strategized, and constantly evaluated. What happens after the purchase is just as important as what happens during the purchase. This means a shift from transactional thinking to relationship management. To do strict planning does not mean that the customer interactions are scripted and “mechanical.” Instead it is a critical enabler to achieve excellence. Without it, everything is random. And when things are random, there is no systematic brand equity building. It’s that simple.

Recommended ReadingHere’s How Luxury Brands Keep Their Loyal Chinese Customers BuyingBy Adina-Laura Achim

While this sounds intuitive, 90 percent of audited brands have significant issues in experience creation during the customer journey. Few brands really think through the journey end to end and over periods of time. A luxury customer may not come back to purchase, say, another watch for several years, but when he or she comes back the choice will depend very much on how they were treated after the purchase. Were they treated well at all?

There is a lot of work to do. Breakups will decide the fate of brands, and many won’t make the cut. Don’t let your brand be one of them.

This is an op-ed article that reflects the views of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Jing Daily.

Named one of the “Global Top Five Luxury Key Opinion Leaders to Watch,” Daniel Langer is the CEO of the luxury, lifestyle and consumer brand strategy firm Équité, and the executive professor of luxury strategy and pricing at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He consults many of the leading luxury brands in the world, is the author of several best-selling luxury management books, a global keynote speaker, and holds luxury masterclasses on the future of luxury, disruption, and the luxury metaverse in Europe, the USA, and Asia. Follow @drlanger

The first week of Paris Fashion Week’s nine-day affair has officially flown by. Despite Chinese citizens grappling with visa struggles to travel to Europe, which have seemingly worsened as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, the turnout representing the world’s second largest luxury market has been impressive this season.

From Shang Xia referencing Chinese culture with nods to the upcoming Year of the Rabbit, to disruptive creative talent Di Du from Shanghai using her eponymous label’s collection to express anger toward ongoing lockdowns — China has been well represented on the official 64-show, 42-presentation schedule.

Offstage, there have also been a number of notable Chinese guests, choosing to miss the Shanghai Fashion Week which unusually clashed with the first week of Paris. As Di Du told Jing Daily , “We’ve seen more attendees from China since last season. There are more designers and models, and generally Chinese people in the audience.”

In order to provide a 360-degree view of China’s reaction to Paris’ first week, we spoke to Chinese KOL Nuria ( @Nuriamaa ), Di Du, and newly-announced member of the BoF 500, Sherry Huang, founder of ENG Concept Store. Here are some of China’s top three highlights so far:

Didu’s Spring 2023 collection features camouflage prints and cargo pants. Photo: Didu

One independent label that has surfaced in many conversations throughout the week is Didu. Staged in the streets of Le Marais, the “I cannot hide my anger” collection reflected what many Chinese citizens are feeling as a result of the pandemic. The dystopian urban aesthetic of camouflage prints, cargos, and reconstructed fabrics felt perfectly fit for the boundary-pushing youth of China and the rest of the world.

The creative director told Jing Daily that Didu fans are currently predominantly “fashion insiders and deep fashion lovers in China,” yet the mass market is increasingly building awareness of the brand. “People are starting to understand and appreciate our ethos and spirit,” said the brand’s founder.

Although London is best known for its selection of emerging talent, Huang noted how Paris is truly nurturing more on schedule. “I am surprised and proud to see that more and more new emerging Chinese brands are also active in this market,” she said.

Chinese influencer Kiwi Lee 李函 wears Dior to the Spring 2023 show. Photo: Enrique URRUTIA

Along with Loewe and Acne, Dior’s showcase was frequented by Asian creators and talents. From China, we saw KOLs such as Nuria (302k on Weibo) and Kiwi Lee (402k followers on Instagram), as well as artist Oscar Wang who attended with his model girlfriend Tian Yi — all of whom Dior dressed for the occasion.

It was Maria Grazia Chiuri’s sartorial illustration of powerful femininity which Nuria loved most. “ Inspired by Catherine de Medici, a powerful woman from the renaissance, Miss Chiuri translated this figure’s symbol for women and power through the corsets, lace, florals, and the neutral tones such as black, white, gold.”

She continued, “I was very pleased to see a grungy style this season since I adore that. Look five, for instance, I gasped when I saw it — the black floral and mixing structure with lace. Absolutely stunning. Look 24, love the complex yet simple dress dominated by drapes. I could go on and on, but yes. I loved it.”

Blogger 努力 Nuria attends the Dior show dressed in a full look by the brand. Photo: Enrique URRUTIA

Blackpink’s Rosé made an appearance at Saint Laurent’s show. Photo: Saint Laurent

Creative director Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent show dominated Chinese social media, but not for the Eiffel Tower setting or elegant, deep-hued color palettes of black, purples, and greens. Instead, the attendance of Blackpink’s Roseanne Chae-Young Park (known by her stage name Rosé) was trending.

The hashtag #CHAENG LAURENT# has been read by roughly 125,000 Weibo users as of Friday, September 30, despite the show taking place on Tuesday. It proves that the impact of KOLs on consumer attention is far from waning, particularly among Gen Z netizens. 

Earlier this year, Saint Laurent was dubbed as Kering’s driving force in the Chinese market. It reported a 34 percent rise in global sales to $1.5 billion (RMB 3.5billion) compared to the same time the previous year. 

With a trending fashion week show happening during such a solid growth period, there’s no doubt that the brand will continue to thrive in the mainland. It just proves that although digital shows are a greener, more convenient alternative, the marketing power of physical shows with guest attendees remains incomparable.

The nine-day fashion carnival in Shanghai finally concluded with surprises and applause. Following strict pandemic-control measures, the Spring 2023 season of Shanghai Fashion Week successfully hosted 84 physical shows and 12 trade shows from September 22 to 30. In addition to the long-waited offline presentations, SHFW continued its partnership with Douyin to elevate its digital initiatives, inviting brands and designers to post vlogs and photos to engage online audiences. 

Established labels such as Comme Moi, 8on8, Xu Zhi, and Shushu/tong secured local fashionistas’ attention as always while new names like M Essential Noir, Ao Yes, MTG, and Yehua Fan made their runway debut. Meanwhile, Labelhood, a Shanghai-based platform supporting Chinese emerging fashion talents, launched its pioneering fashion and arts festival with the theme of “Oriental Youth.” 

Shushu/tong presented its Spring 2023 collection “Pretty Woman” on September 28. Photo: Shushu/tong

The strategic collaboration between SHFW and Douyin contributed to massive online impressions and engagements, driven by official show videos and user-generated content. On the short-video platform, the hashtag #ShanghaiFashionWeek racked up 1.27 billion views as of September 30.

With a commitment to connecting emerging fashion designers and local audiences, Labelhood initiated a bonus program to offer its social media followers opportunities to earn complimentary show tickets. This scheme not only drove organic online and offline traffic for the fashion week activations, but also broke the traditional fashion week model exclusive to media, celebrities, and brands’ VIP customers. 

The Spring 2023 Shanghai Fashion Week came earlier than expected. In light of uncertainties around COVID-19 in China, consumers have a stronger longing for connections and newness, whether physical or virtual. Making this season of SHFW happen showcased the determination of designers and showrooms alike to accelerate the recovery of the local fashion industry, which had been lagging behind due to lockdowns earlier this year. 

From the business side, buyers are more cautious about making orders at trade shows, says Daisy Wu, PR of lingerie brand Her Senses, which participated in Ontimeshow.  “Many local multi-brand stores still have overstock from last season due to lockdowns. If their cash flow is vulnerable, it will be difficult to make new bids this season,” Wu explains. 

Ontimeshow cooperated with 224 brands during Shanghai Fashion Week. Photo: Ontimeshow

Still, the surging demand for local designs proves that there are untapped opportunities for homegrown labels. This year, brands including Shushu/tong and Calvin Luo opened standalone physical stores, marking a milestone for these independent designers. And more new-generation talents like Louis Shengtao Chen are expected to emerge from their early stages. How to navigate the macro market environment while maintaining their creativity and vision will be a critical challenge for all players.

Additional reporting by Janice Li and Naomi Wu

What Happened: Saint Laurent’s Spring 2023 show took place with the Eiffel Tower as its dramatic backdrop. To match his sculptural silhouettes, creative director Anthony Vaccarello erected a gigantic cascading fountain at Jardin du Trocadéro, where models — wearing body-sculpting dresses and floor-sweeping shoulder padded coats — walked accompanied by orchestral music. 

After years of influencing street style, Vaccarello revealed his desire to reassert “that mega and super elegance of the house” that he felt was missing. And the response? Domestic media outlets and netizens adored the epic runway and the exquisitely delicate drapings. Fashion KOL @Eilice commented: “In recent years, runways have overly democratized. Celine is continuously proposing denim and Bottega Veneta created a country bumpkin style check shirt. Only Saint Laurent is showcasing a fashion catwalk.” 

Recommended ReadingKim, Kate, Paris: Harnessing Global Celebrity Power At Milan Fashion WeekBy Lisa Nan

The Jing Take: The star studded front row included the likes of Kate Moss, Zoe Kravitz, Hayley Bieber and Blackpink’s Rosé as well as China’s Leah Dou — musician and daughter of the renowned singer Wang Fei — who flew in to attend the Paris show. In China, seven other celebrities invited by the brand: Zhu Zhengting, Liu Lingzi, Joseph Zeng, Shan Yichun, and more (combined they command over 100 million followers on Weibo) contributed to driving massive organic online traffic. As many as 27.3 million viewers flooded to the house’s livestream on Weibo to watch the show.

Saint Laurent flew in Chinese musician Leah Dou to Paris to promote its Spring 2023 show. Photo: Saint Laurent’s Weibo

Needless to say, Saint Laurent’s show budgets are high, but so is the parent company’s expectation of the Parisian name; Kering urgently needs to create a second Gucci to reduce its reliance on the Italian heritage brand. During the investor presentation in June this year, the luxury conglomerate announced its ambition to double sales of its fast-growing fashion house Saint Laurent to 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) in the medium term. 

Francesca Bellettini, Saint Laurent’s CEO, aims to reach the number by continuing to leverage the brand’s leather goods category, which now makes up 72 percent of sales. In light of this, China and its young demographics’ appetite for high-ticket bags is promising for the 61–year-old player. According to Euromonitor, domestic sales of luxury handbags more than doubled in 2021 to hit  $15 billion (106 billion RMB), which is up from $7 billion (50 billion RMB) in 2019. Even though the powerhouse entered China much later than other luxury rivals, its awareness and reputation are on track to sustain expansion in the region. Netizen reaction to the show is proof of that.

The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

This season, Camera Della Moda put on an impressive show. Whether it was Ferragamo’s rebrand , Paris Hilton’s Versace finale, or Moncler’s majestic 70th anniversary exhibition at Duomo, Milan Fashion Week’s offerings were big and bold. 

Securing public attention in the information era is increasingly difficult but the Italian fashion capital nailed it. At show locations, streets were jam-packed with die-hard fans waiting for hours to see their favorite stars IRL, proving that luxury businesses are still leaning on influencer (and celebrity) power to create viral content. 

Despite the lack of many Chinese KOLs, global players still managed to make an impact on China’s internet. Here, Jing Daily analyzes how these personalities helped to engage local and global audiences.

Mr. Bags posted a “plog” (photo blog) of his experience attending Ferragamo’s show. Photo: Mr. Bags’ Weibo

It’s a new dawn for Ferragamo. Maximilian Davis has taken the creative helm and the brand’s logo has been reimagined into Sans Serif typeface. A fresh pantone-registered color is codifying the brand’s iconic hue — 3546C, a deep emotive red that’s brighter and more youthful than its former signature red. Featured throughout the collection and venue, the new shade made a bold statement about the revamp of the Florence-based company. 

Chinese KOL Mr. Bags (6.7 million followers on Weibo), who flew to Milan to attend the show, told Jing Daily about his excitement for the collection. “I am a huge fan of the new Ferragamo,” he said. “The new creative director is full of talent and ambition. Not only were the ready-to-wear pieces very beautiful, but also the bags were so good. I can see so many of these having so much potential in China — both women’s and men’s style.” In light of this regeneration, the country could be a promising growth market for the 95-year-old house. After a sluggish performance over the past years, Ferragamo aims to usher in a new chapter.

Paris Hilton’s barbiecore look was a stark contrast to Versace’s other gothic pieces. Photo: Versace

On a purple runway lit by black candles, Donatella Versace hosted her Spring 2023 show, “Dark Gothic Goddess.” Black, purple, and neon dresses dominated the gothic venue, where a star-studded cast alongside models dressed as rebellious brides walked the room. For the finale, Y2K queen Paris Hilton made the most media impact dressed in a glittering fuchsia barbicore mini-dress, delighting and surprising guests.

According to the influencer marketing platform Lefty , Versace generated organic buzz on Instagram and Weibo, putting it in fifth place in terms of Earned Media Value (EMV) among the Milan Fashion Week shows: earning $10.9 million (77.7 million RMB) globally and $3.78 million (26.9 million RMB) locally. In fact, it was the only brand at the event to have the same ranking in both domestic and global markets. Despite the lack of Chinese celebrities attending and promoting the show, Hilton drove impressive online traffic for the Italian establishment in China. Perhaps this is because the renowned Hilton heiress enjoys a whopping 7.1 million followers on Weibo.

Dolce & Gabbana teamed up with Kim Kardashian for its Spring 2023 collection. Photo: Dolce & Gabbana

At one of the most crowded shows at Milan Fashion Week, thousands of fans waited outside the venue to see influencer royalty Kim Kardashian. The reality star and entrepreneur collaborated with Dolce & Gabbana to create the Spring 2023 collection named “Ciao Kim.” From body sculpting silhouettes to glittering dresses, she presented the wardrobe of her dreams. Devoid of almost all the duo’s signature bold prints (apart from leopard), monochromatic black, silver, red, and ivory looks filled the room.

Kardashian generated massive traffic for this show — as has her whole family recently. The runway secured $15 million (106.8 million RMB) in EMV and placed second among the top-performing brands at Milan Fashion Week on Lefty’ s global rankings. However, in China, the name did not make the list. Kardashian is well known by Chinese audiences yet she has a limited Weibo following (227,000), and she stopped posting on the microblogging app in 2019. This partnership has received mixed feelings there, indicating many netizens haven’t yet forgiven (or forgotten) the luxury label’s 2018 controversy.

Chinese fashion KOL Yuyu Zhangzou helped amplify Ports1961’s social reach. Photo: Ports1961

Ports1961’s minimalist approach was clear from the first look: supermodel Bella Hadid in a somber black, tailored tunic dress. Taking inspiration from men’s wardrobes, artistic director Karl Templer brought classic menswear codes to the trademark’s women’s ready-to-wear collection, this time in more feminine fabrics such as tulle, satin, and silk. The goal? To blur the gender boundaries in clothing. 

Chinese model He Cong was spotted wearing a satin trenchcoat, which received an overwhelmingly positive reaction from netizens. Amplifying Ports1961’s social reach locally was fashion blogger Yuyu Zhangzou, one of the few who managed to fly to the fashion capital. As well as sharing the livestreaming link with her 3.5 million Weibo followers, the KOL posted her total look too. Clearly, the appearance of homegrown influencers and models at such events is driving impressive traffic for brands in mainland China.

Pastel colors dominated Jil Sander’s Spring 2023 show. Photo: Jil Sander

Under a drizzling sky, models leisurely walked through brushwood holding doorman umbrellas on the Jil Sander runway. Apart from the odd red accessory, pastel colors dominated. As well as clean tailoring, this season featured fringed skirts and furry dresses that created sophisticated textures and movement. These new introductions were largely appreciated by Chinese viewers, who praised the creative duo behind the label — Luke and Lucie Meyer — for taking minimalism to the next level. Native fashion blogger @PiPiJuice commented, “The style is consistently simple, casual, and relaxed. The last fringed gown looks are stunning.”

The line has massive potential in the mainland market, where many young shoppers are choosing clean silhouettes over more ostentatious styles. As such, Jil Sander has accelerated its expansion in China, including opening a flagship store in the prestigious Shanghai mall JC Plaza in July. On Xiaohongshu, there are a total of 2.16 million related UGC (user-generated content) instances under the hashtag #minimalstyle.

Actor Jing Boran (left) and singer Mika (right) helped drive social traffic for Bottega Veneta in China. Photo: Weibo

Creative director Matthieu Blazy handed Bottega Veneta’ s runway space over to the 82-year-old Italian artist Gaetano Pesce, who turned the setting into a gigantic work of art. The venue featured a colorful resin floor and 400 one-of-a-kind chairs. The bright colors juxtaposed with the highly technical garments presented by Blazy and offered a feast for the eyes. The young designer returned to the heritage house’s roots, celebrating the country’s impeccable craftsmanship and proposing a quieter luxury offering. And his exquisite attention to detail was widely praised by netizens.

To the surprise of many guests and online viewers, iconic model Kate Moss walked the show sporting a seemingly classic everyday check shirt. The top was later revealed to have undergone a printing process 12 times to achieve the desired effect, while her accompanying denim trousers were, in fact, leather. Thanks to the model’s aura, the shirt has become the most talked-about item from the show on the Chinese web.

To connect directly with its domestic fans, Bottega Veneta hosted an offline screening in Shanghai, inviting local celebrities like supermodel Du Juan, actor Jing Boran, actress Zhou Yutong, singer Mika, and ex-girl group member Liu Yase. By leaning on homegrown stars, the Italian maison, known for its intrecciato technique, amassed an impressive $2.29 million in EMV (16.3 RMB) in China as per Lefty .

Unlike the standard three-step routine of cleanse, tone, and hydrate, the average Chinese consumer has up to nine steps in their daily skincare ritual. The aspiration to be “bai fu mei” (white, rich, and beautiful) has spurred the rise of the “noble lady” skincare category.

Here, products are top-of-the-line, with the most expensive face cream racking up to $1,149 (10,000 RMB) a jar. Sales of skin-whitening products reached $62.43 billion (440 billion RMB) in 2019, making this the second-largest market after the US. Peering into a woman’s fridge, you might even find a tube of caviar among an array of iridescent bottles — not of delicacies or champagne, but luxury skincare under temperature-control (in a special section courtesy of Bosch’s “Age Frozen” fridge). 

BSH’s “Age-Frozen Fridge” for the Chinese market includes a beauty compartment that keeps products at a constant temperature. Photo: BSH

Although cosmetics have decreased in sales , the ongoing pandemic and culture of mask-wearing have prompted an increase in the awareness of self-care and skin health. The cosmetics market in China hit $81.25 billion ( 572.6 billion RMB) in 2021, up 9.8 percent year-on-year, and estimates predict high-end products will overtake mass beauty to make up 53 percent of the market in 2025. While the mentality that “west is best” prevailed in the past, confidence in national goods has been growing, leading local brands to creep up in market share.

On the surface, the ultimate status symbol of social success is seen as simply having fair white skin — an indication of wealth and purity. Many Chinese women believe that the way to achieve “bai fu mei” status (akin to that of celebrities, socialites, and wealthy KOLs) is through hefty investment in premium skincare. Targeting each minuscule problem area, premium skincare is often medical-grade and approved by dermatologists. 

Typically, consumers of these products are affluent over-30’s women looking to fill in fine lines, fade dark spots, and rejuvenate skin. However, the category boom has now been fueled by millennials and aging Gen Z’s in urban first- and second-tier cities. An 85 percent increase in average spending on beauty products has been seen from post-90s women consumers, thanks in part to China’s rising disposable income and strong purchasing power. With a new feminist stance that goes against societal marriage norms, this group of millennial and Gen-Z women are carefree and prioritize “self-care,” thus happy to fund their skincare routine with the crème de la crème of products. 

Recommended ReadingIn The Aftermath Of The Pandemic, Wellness Is The New LuxuryBy Arnold Ma

The holy grail of beauty 

A search for “贵妇级护肤品” (noble lady skincare) on Xiaohongshu brings up over 110,000 user-generated reviews. La Mer, Valmont, Helena Rubinstein, La Prairie, and Clé de Peau are just a few of the golden skincare brands that could land on the trophy shelf of a “noble lady.” Skincare products also go beyond cleansing to include essences, ampoules, serums, eye creams, moisturizers, and more in a category led by large corporations such as L’Oréal and Estée Lauder.

Xiaohongshu users share their beauty product recommendations under the “noble lady skincare” tag. Photo: Xiaohongshu

The Chinese consumer has long-standing trust in western companies and their dermatological science, resulting in the success of these groups and their solid positioning within the domestic market. Japanese, Korean, and European skincare names dominate in market share, as shown by  JD.Com’s 618 sales data , whereas Shiseido, Clé de Peau Beauté, and the likes dominate sales rankings. 

More recently, however, mainlanders have begun to move away from commercial firms, aiming for specific offerings from dermatologists and (surprisingly) homegrown labels. Local outfits like Proya, Winona, Chando, and Pechoin are all high-end skincare lines that have been gaining ground and sharing the ranks with large players. These businesses have tapped into the market leveraging their cultural advantage regarding Traditional Chinese Medicine while developing sophisticated categories to secure confidence from beauty aficionados. Aside from just positive word-of-mouth reviews from peers, endorsement from dermatology experts and being recognized by major medical institutions are also important in cultivating a good reputation.

Nowadays, the younger tech-savvy and inquisitive generations have much greater access to discover and collect product information, and have become more knowledgeable and sophisticated in their skincare routines. As interest in Hermès and Rolexes dwindles, youths are seeing skincare as a long-term investment, consuming high-quality goods starting as young as their twenties. Beauty may fade, but it never goes away. As the trend for luxury beauty and wellness continues to rise, brand exposure toward younger consumers will only lead to stronger and more optimistic growth. It’s a future that looks good.

At the start of Milan Fashion Week, while some Chinese KOLs and celebs trickled in, it was clear that the big pre-COVID China contingent was missing. So how did shows go down in the powerful China market? Which brands hit it big globally but missed out in China and vice versa?

Influencer and social media marketing platform Lefty’s comparison of Earned Media Value (EMV) across the fashion week offers some critical insight. The top five performing brands for China during Milan Fashion Week were Gucci, Moncler, Prada, Fendi, and Versace (in that order), while global rankings placed Prada first, followed by Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, BOSS, and Versace.  

Chinese favorites like Gucci, Prada, and Fendi continue to perform well because of strong multi-tiered connections to the local market and community; the trio of Italian powerhouses generated a combined EMV of over $31.74 million in the country. At number two, Moncler hit high notes with $9.44 million in EMV because of key Chinese celebrity appointments, strong growth, and a loyal consumer base, despite not making it onto the top 5 global rankings. Meanwhile, Dolce & Gabbana’s popularity in China is still impacted, and BOSS posted a surprising high global EMV metric.

Here we take a look at five key brands in the first half of Milan:   

Alessandro Michele revealed his latest fashion show across two runways, each a reflection of the other. Photo: Gucci

The talk of the town was #GucciTwinsbury where the brand cast 68 twins from around the world as models. And with plenty of Asian and Chinese sartorial references (such as qipao) on the runway, Alessandro Michele managed to present a cultural melting pot lineup that felt like innovation rather than appropriation. Another sign that the brand is doubling down on its commitment to the Chinese market is its growing cast of local brand ambassadors, including Xiao Zhan, Cecilia Song, and Venda Li, who all sent out video invitations on Weibo. Xiao Zhan’s invite drove significant traffic, with one post generating $4.93 million in EMV, making up 28 percent of Gucci’s total EMV. Acknowledging that most Chinese viewers cannot travel to attend the shows, Gucci hosted a Beijing screening of its runway which kept guests amused and posting.  

The livestreamed show was posted on Weibo and garnered almost 47.5 million views according to Lefty ⁠— as well as on Tencent’s Super QQ Show. “As a result of these efforts, Gucci skyrocketed to the top as Milan Fashion Week’s #1 brand in China in terms of Earn Media Value (EMV),” says Lefty’s report.

By mid-week, when asked what her most memorable Milan Fashion Week moment was, Yuyu Zhangzou (one of the few Chinese KOLs who managed to make it out to Italian city) told Jing Daily that it was Gucci. “We were all just like ‘wow’ and super excited with the show. I can’t lie, I almost cried, the tears were around my eyes during it,” she says. “I can’t really find the words to describe how I felt. That moment really reminded me why I’m still working in this industry…and why I love fashion so much…Those moments make you so alive. It’s something so strong that hits your heart and your brain.”

Looks from Prada women’s runway show, “Touch of Crude.” Photo: Prada

The Prada duet of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons offered up a touch of domestic disturbia that combined the prim and the perverse. There were references to vintage eras like the 50s and 60s, as well as a 90s gothic Addams Family vibe in this collection titled “Touch of Crude,” defined by slinky shapes, tailoring, thigh slits, and a moody palette (bar some welcome shocks of highlighter hues). Earning a $7.61 million EMV, though “a fan favorite in both East and West, Prada ranked lower in China than its previous Menswear SS23 presentation in Milan in June,” reported Lefty, which speculates that the main contributing factor to the drop might have been “a lack of a fully-fleshed media campaign on Chinese social networks…and the brand’s loss of its most critical brand ambassador Li Yifeng just days before Milan Fashion Week.”

It’s doubtful that the brand is losing real traction, however; Prada has a solid presence in China and is well respected across generations. A newly appointed Chinese ambassador, actress Chun Xia, even made her official debut at the Milan show. The luxury brand also partnered with KOLs on Weibo like @希林娜依高, @李一桐Q, @乔欣Bridgette, and more who invited fans to watch the livestream.

Diesel’s MFW show featured lots of denim and the world’s largest inflatable sculpture. Photo: Diesel

Boasting perhaps the biggest runway show in Milan, Diesel invited the public and Italy’s fashion school students to watch alongside industry insiders in a 5,000-capacity stadium — a move to further democratize fashion access. A huge inflatable sculpture of intertwined bodies made for a centerpiece that models walked around. The denim-anchored fashion brand hit the 90s nail on the head with a collection that capitalizes on fashion’s current Y2K craze, beloved by China’s Gen Z and beyond. The brand jumped to the top 8 global position in terms of EMV, with 57% growth whilst it ranked 11th on Weibo with $2.01 million EMV.  

Creative Director Glenn Martens works his magic, tapping the zeitgeist while creating elevation through sophisticated, multi-textured fabrications, with dramatic denim fringing being the most memorable and daring. The dangerously low waistbands, the aesthetic shadow of Julia Fox (who attended the show), and the classic Diesel logo here and there also recalled the brand’s 90s heyday. A high-energy, jolting start to Milan Fashion Week, the runway reminded people that the Italian fashion capital could be just as conceptually daring as Paris when it wants to play that card. Chinese Diesel fans shouldn’t be disappointed come spring.  

Max Mara’s Spring 2023 runway featured sailor pants, halter-neck tops, and floppy hats. Photo: Max Mara

On the other side of the aesthetic spectrum, Max Mara’s serene SS23 offering evoked aristocrats and elegant bohemians flocking to the Riviera — embodied by this season’s muse Renee Perle, lover of Jacque-Henri Lartigue. Huge sun hats and headscarves, languid backless tanks, floaty skirts, and sailor pants all evoke a sun-kissed, sinuous femininity that will strike chords with China’s jet set, especially those attracted to graceful vacation and summer dressing. Ranking an impressive 7th place on Weibo with $3.5 million EMV, this show did better in China than in global stats. This collection soothed and smoothed, and eschewed any kind of dramatic roughness. The sensual wearability of the garments and those flattering silhouettes will no doubt work well in retail when the items land in store.   

Fendi also tapped the Y2K trend for its latest collection. Photo: Fendi

Doused in vibrant minty green, silky neutrals, and ivory, Fendi’s SS23 collection championed modern femininity and functionality. It was an effortlessly wearable assortment with striking details such as green rubber platforms and Japanese-inspired pleated belting, tied at the back. Recording an impressive $6.33 million EMV rating among Chinese consumers, it slipped into fourth place for the Milan brands. In the mainland, the brand engaged ambassadors Zhang Ruoyun, Tang Yixin, and other big-name celebrities on Weibo to invite fans to watch the show online. There were also several KOLs who attended in person, such as Mr. Bags, who kept a keen eye on the accessories offered in this youthful, commercially strong SS23 collection by Artistic Director Kim Jones. 

To say Pharrell Williams has accumulated a lot of stuff in his two decade-long music and fashion career is an understatement. That’s why the Grammy award-winning artist is creating a global digital-first auction house to sell off his sizable stockpile of collectibles, ranging from Stan Smith sneakers embossed with 1,600 Swarovski crystals to collaborations with his streetwear brand Billionaire Boys Club (BBC).

Launching this month, Joopiter will focus on rare cultural artifacts and their stories. The inaugural auction, “Son of a Pharaoh,” is a collection of 52 iconic pieces curated by Williams, many of which are one-of-a-kind and were made with input from the pop and R&B musician himself. Available for public viewing by appointment in New York on October 14 and 15, the selection includes Jacob & Co. pendants, a Louis Vuitton monogram trunk, and even a varsity jacket from Williams’ high school alma mater that he frequently wore in 2003 and 2004.

Auction items include the Jacob & Co. N.E.R.D. Brain Pendant Chain (left) and the Louis Vuitton Steamer Trunk Black Multicolor Monogram (right).

“The idea behind Joopiter is to embrace the energy that is released when objects change hands, and to respect the value that’s been created around these objects,” the 49-year-old founder said. “Joopiter is a new platform for myself and for my fellow curators, one where existing and future generations of collectors can feel welcome to take part in this exchange.”  

The budding platform enters a fragmented playing field that includes prestige storied houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s as well as newer resellers like Depop and Poshmark. But perhaps what sets it apart, besides its access to Williams’ personal items, is its focus on community. Described as “a place for everyone to discover and explore,” Joopiter features bespoke video content to connect viewers to the auctioned objects. Additionally, proceeds from sales will be used to support Black and Latinx entrepreneurs through Black Ambition , the star’s non-profit initiative. 

The question now is, will Asian and Chinese collectors bite? No doubt, Williams and team will be keeping an eye on some of the world’s largest auction hubs. In 2021, China became the world’s second-largest luxury market, as well as the second-largest art market (both after the US). The country has also gained billionaires at a faster pace than the US while the number of millionaires is expected to grow by as much as 80 percent by 2025. 

Asian consumers are also known to splurge on high-profile collaborations. Just look at the sky-high resale value of the Louis Vuitton x Supreme capsule or the craze around the Panda Pigeon Nike SB Dunk when they were first dropped in China. Given this love of luxury streetwear and sneakers, auction items that could spike particular interest from Asian buyers include the Louis Vuitton x BBC trunk and the Stan Smith shoes.

Stan Smith shoes embossed with Swarovski crystals. Photo: Courtesy, shot by Ahad Subzwari

Plus, it helps that the American talent has built a solid reputation in China, despite lacking an official social media presence. Not only has the “Happy” singer performed at high-profile events like Alibaba’s Singles Day gala in 2017 and the debut Grammy Festival in Beijing in 2018, but Pharrell has also created China-exclusive designs with the likes of Adidas. Meanwhile, his BBC label has expanded to Asia with pop-up stores in Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as a presence on Farfetch and leading youth fashion retailer Yoho!Buy.

While Chinese collectors have their share of auction platforms to choose from, none are quite like this. As Humphrey Ho, managing director for Hylink Digital USA, succinctly put it: “Chinese consumers like exclusivity, unique products, and Pharrell Williams in that order. Therefore, I believe that Pharrell Williams’ new global auction platform Joopiter has a chance.”

Despite big market stresses in the property sector and rising caution due to an economic slowdown , China retains its status as the holy grail for luxury brands. But the relentless focus on this vast consumer market requires nuanced targeting; one segment that remains somewhat under the radar is Chinese men. 

This is by no means an insignificant set: in terms of online luxury purchases, men surpassed women last year according to Deloitte . In fact, they now account for 44 percent of all luxury spending in the country, as reported in The Chinese Male Luxury Consumer 2023 . This study, released on Thursday by consumer marketing agency Hot Pot China and London-based trend forecaster The Future Laboratory, has identified six consumer types that will determine the path of the mainland’s luxury market for men.

“That China is the future of luxury is undisputed,” said Jonathan Travers-Smith, founder and CEO of Hot Pot China. “Yet much focus to date has been on the female consumer, overlooking a hugely influential consumer group: China’s male luxurian.”

During COVID, a dynamic male consumer has emerged due, says the report, “to the accelerated conversion to online luxury purchases” as well as a swelling middle class across Tier 2–4 cities. The latter has seen an increase both in spending power and appetite for luxury. Chris Sanderson, co-founder of the strategic foresight consultancy The Future Laboratory, commented that “the pandemic has revealed new, unique luxury mindsets in China.”

Recommended ReadingWhy Chinese Men Want to Be BeautifulBy Tanguy Laurent

To explore these mindsets and to capitalize on both their similarities and differences, Hot Pot China conducted a survey of 530 men who buy luxury earlier this year. To differentiate and understand their buyer behavior better, the agency included low, low-mid, mid, and high earners between the ages of 18 and 50. 

The wider findings are good news. While 36 percent of all respondents stated a reduction in income from November 2021 to April 2022 — partly an impact of COVID — half of all those surveyed claimed they would spend the same amount on luxury in the next 12 months, while 20 percent said they would spend more. Not surprisingly, 32 percent of these latter consumers represent an older, higher-income group. 

Long queues due to revenge spending  in luxury malls upon their reopening after the lockdowns in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other major luxury hubs confirm an eagerness to get back to normal. This demand for luxury has been seen worldwide, and Bain & Company is optimistic that the global luxury market could reach $335 billion (2,392 billion RMB) by the end of 2022, growing at 10-15 percent over 2021.  

Core to the report — and possibly of most use — is that men shopping for luxury in China can be put into six distinct categories:

Luxury Novices (17 percent of respondents) are typically between 18 and 35 and mostly live in Tier 3 and 4 cities across China, with low-medium incomes (the report divided incomes as follows: low-mid: >$33,600-$84,000 (>240,000-600,000 RMB) and mid-high: $84,000-<$126,000 (600,000-<900,000 RMB).

Luxury Hobbyists (14 percent of respondents) tend to be older than novices, aged between 35 and 50. While they are wealthier individuals, they are typically less regular shoppers.

Luxury Aspirants (19 percent of respondents) are the most diverse by age, ranging from 18 to 50, as well as geography and income bracket and perceive luxury as having an influence on their social status. However, they were most impacted by COVID in terms of spending ability.

Luxury Loyalists (22 percent of respondents) have a similar profile to aspirants but they have now “made it” — such that luxury is part of their everyday lives. They own up to 20 luxury items.

Luxury Junkies (14 percent of respondents) are young 18-24-year-olds on low- to mid-incomes, often from Tier 3 and 4 cities. Though similar in demographic to novices, they are very knowledgeable about the luxury market.

Luxury Elites (14 percent  of all respondents) are the most prolific buyers for whom luxury has become an everyday need. They tend to be older, mid-high earners living in Tier 1 and 2 cities. 

A breakdown of Chinese male luxury shoppers by city tier and family status.

Identifying the consumer segment this way enables houses to lock in on specific behaviors of each group. For example, according to the report, luxury novices are keen to prioritize luxury goods as part of their daily apparel, to show social status and wealth, while hobbyists buy more definitive names like Rolex watches or LV bags. 

Loyalists are more active buyers, opting for daily-use luxury products such as shoes. They actively follow trends and know what they want to buy. Aspirants are more likely to opt for high-value watches to showcase their wealth whereas junkies are very willing to engage in emerging luxury trends because they see labels as a way of expressing their individuality and personal tastes. The elites are in a different league, buying luxury goods on impulse to add to large existing collections.  

The report offers some interesting personal insights from individuals who fall into the categories above. Datasets for each of the six also reveal their preference for shopping channels: the elites are skewed to brand D2C websites (55 percent) while JD Worldwide had traction across all the typographies. Junkies had the biggest appetite for offline physical stores. 

A breakdown of the preferred purchase channels of Chinese male luxury consumers.

Regarding digital, the report stated: “For shoppers who have previously been hesitant to buy luxury goods online due to concerns over product authenticity and difficulties returning the goods, JD Worldwide, Tmall Global, and own-brand websites provide relatively safe solutions. Since these platforms do not pay import tax, the retail price makes their goods more competitive, drawing consumers to their online stores.” 

Alongside this, the release also examines the second-hand luxury market, collaborations, luxury designers, the adoption of new technologies, and how NFTs and luxury are interacting. There is plenty of food for thought on how to approach this customer group. 

Given that Bain & Company says that half of Chinese luxury spending will take place in the home domestic market by 2025, and Équité points to China accounting for 50 percent of the global luxury market by 2030, better targeting of the undervalued men’s market makes sense. 

What Happened: On September 23, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng announced that the country will reintroduce tax-free shopping for overseas visitors and replace the previous paper-based system with a digital one. The retail scheme was previously terminated at the end of 2020 to bring in additional tax revenues post-Brexit, leaving the UK as the only European country without VAT-free policies for international shoppers. Unsurprisingly, British retailers welcomed the reversal, stating that it will boost sales and the UK’s competitiveness in terms of attracting tourists.

The Jing Take: Compounded by travel restrictions during the pandemic, Britain’s decision in 2020 to end tax-free shopping made it a less attractive global destination. Tourism tax-refund company Global Blue found that people who made purchases in both mainland Europe and the UK in 2019 increased their spending in the EU by 40 percent to €22,000 ($23,900) while reducing their spending in the UK by a similar amount in the wake of the policy. Chinese media also reported its negative consequences, with one piece from economic news outlet 21jingji.com describing it as “killing the chicken for the egg” 杀鸡取卵. On Weibo, the hashtag “Britain loses attraction to tourists after canceling tax-free shopping policy” gained over 830,000 views.       

The latest development will certainly encourage Chinese tourists to come back to the UK. According to the UK’s national tourism agency Visit Britain , there were 883,073 Chinese visitors to the UK with a total expenditure of $1.82 billion (£1.71 billion) in 2019, a 2.7 and 13.9 percent year-on-year increase, respectively. Back then, Chinese visitors would flock to leading travel retail locations such as Bicester Village to enjoy the 20 percent tax discount. A BBC report from 2018 asserted that over half of all Chinese visitors to the UK would visit Bicester Village, making it the second most popular attraction for this group after Buckingham Palace. 

Shoppers line up outside of a Prada store in Bicester Village pre-pandemic. Photo: Shutterstock

However, much depends on when the mainland will relax its stringent border control policy designed to combat the pandemic. It is also possible that fewer Chinese shoppers will opt to travel to the UK given the rise of Hainan as the country’s major duty-free luxury retail hub, which is aiming for $14.85 billion (100 billion RMB) in duty-free sales this year. The proximity of Hainan and its lack of any language barrier to Chinese consumers are the island province’s greatest advantages vis-à-vis the UK. British travel retail locations will need to remain competitive in pricing and shopping experience if they want Chinese shoppers to flock to them like before.   

The Jing Take  reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

The following is an excerpt of an exclusive interview that appears in the upcoming second edition of Jing Daily’s report Winning China’s High-Spending Cultural Consumer: The Future Of Luxury, packed with all-new data and insights. Email us today to pre-order your copy.

Keith Wong is the chairman of the art platform APPortfolio, a curator and columnist, and honorary president of the University of the Arts London Hong Kong alumni association. Wong has worked on art projects with a number of international brands and artists, including Lane Crawford, Daniel Arsham, D*face, Ron English, and Nobuyoshi Araki. 

How would you define the Chinese Cultural Consumer (CCC)? 

First of all, I think China’s consumer is at a very sophisticated stage because I think in the past 20 years there has been a big change in the understanding of consumption. And right now it is almost the third generation that has a good life with everything ready and a lot of opportunities. And also, I think they can create what they demand. Not only to purchase from the choices available, but they can also create what they want.

And right now, I think [the market] there is a little overwhelming. Because there are too many choices. So that’s why CCCs are even smarter in terms of consumption. There are lots of small sectors because everyone wants to be special. They have their own point of view. And so there are lots of niche markets. But, you know, because China is so big, even niche markets are big markets.

So I think [CCCs] have lots of choices for some special items or different styles or experiences. Also, I think that their spending has lots of different purposes, not only functional. That is the basic of the basic. I think it is more about how they communicate and represent themselves. I think that is the core of the Chinese Cultural Consumer.

Based on your observations in recent years, how have you seen the tastes of CCCs change?

I think a big change over the past three years is the way the divide between foreign brands and local brands has mushed together. [The CCC] doesn’t really care whether a product is from outside or from inside. Even for the pricing level, they will also merge together.

What does this mean? For example, let’s say for watches — it’s not only the luxury brands. [The CCC] will also wear some local brands or an Apple Watch. Even rich people, I think, are more concerned about what kind of message and style the product conveys.

And of course, they are also very proud of local brands right now. And sometimes they will mix and match local brands with foreign well-known brands. I think that is one of the big changes. They also demand cultural products like art and original artwork — it’s been a big change, like double, triple the demand from the past.

How much of the change in demand for domestic brands comes down to the fact that it has been difficult for CCCs to travel overseas to shop in Paris or Tokyo? Do you think there’s a bigger trend here that goes beyond simply travel?

Over the past three years, I think there has been no big change in terms of how [CCCs] consume products. It’s not linked to travel. Online shopping is very, very common in China and online payment is so sophisticated there. But of course, for artwork, it’s different compared to luxury brands. Because all the luxury brands have flagship stores in many cities in China. 

But for artwork, it is difficult for galleries or art fair organizers from foreign countries to organize events in China and Chinese people cannot go abroad to visit because it will take a lot of time and effort to take care of their visas and everything. I think that’s also a reason the secondhand market is going up so fast, because it’s hard to get very limited and unique pieces [on the primary market].

André Saraiva Mr.A Taiwanese Style Mahjong Set. Photo: APPortfolio

When mainland Chinese consumers come to APPortfolio, do you find they want to discover new work or artists or do they usually know what they’re looking for?

Because our price range is around $1,000 to $10,000 and we focus on limited-edition artwork, I think the majority of Chinese collectors will be looking for artwork with a reputation, for example, big names or famous names. Also, for the artists who work with world-famous brands. I seldom see that they would like to try something really new, because it might be too risky for them [as investments]. Usually, I see that they’re looking either for an established artist with a rich record or a young artist with a good record. 

Besides, I think they want to have a cultural or spiritual connection with the artwork, and of course investment is part of the concern. And we know that a lot of collectors have more than 100 pieces in a warehouse or at home, so when they want to buy new artworks they have to think about whether they need it or if it will bring them a special experience.

Email us today to pre-order your copy of the second edition of Winning China’s High-Spending Cultural Consumer: The Future Of Luxury. Interested in the first edition? Download it on our Reports page.

The show did go on. Despite the impact of the official mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II, London Fashion Week drew in hundreds of brands this season from all over the world — China included. Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council, notes the city’s special relationship with creatives from the mainland. “Chinese labels have consistently won British awards (Feng Chen Wang, Chet Lo, Yuhan Wang, and ASAI). Whilst Paris, Milan, and New York dominate through luxury powerhouses, London is a hotbed for young and international talent, especially for Chinese ones.”

In fact, this season, the number of locals presenting in the capital was at a record high despite ongoing headwinds such as supply chain disruptions, lockdowns, and quarantines. So why was it, as Rush says, that “sales were negatively affected”? She explains that though Chinese designers were able to present their collections, buyers from China still cannot access the city to purchase the goods. Shipping and manufacturing delays have also created a “production backlog.” A mixed picture, then.

With all this in mind, Jing Daily offers an indispensable guide to the schedule’s China contingent, and asks why, out of all the global fashion weeks, it’s this event that consistently attracts the largest number of the country’s names.

Huishan Zhang has been a mainstay here since his debut in 2012. A love of contemporary China — seen in minimalist cheongsam dresses — was a continuation of past themes, but this time in a more tempered language that amplified prints and palettes. Produced in the official black box venue, his show generated $74,300 (535,000 RMB) in earned media value (EMV) on Weibo, ranking him number nine in the top ten according to marketing platform Lefty . This was helped by the likes of Sina Fashion (10 million followers) and Minibazaar (with 785,000). Fashion blogger Fashion Amber also shared it to her 5.6 million fans. 

Huishan Zhang’s new collection incorporates minimalistic Cheongsams and his signature use of feathers. Photo: Courtesy

Close behind him in the ranking was Yuhan Wang, who showed at the Old Selfridges Hotel as part of the “New Gen” line-up. Her feminine take on the line between exposure and coverage has brought the Central Saint Martins’ alumnus a big following: she comes in at number ten in the line-up, with her outing driving $23,300 (168,000 RMB) in EMV on Weibo. Cosmo, Yijin, and @山山闪闪闪 all posted positive comments about her latest collection.

Physically presenting collections here even during the pandemic, Yushan Li and Jun Zhou’s Pronounce is now an LFW staple — presumably given the latter’s base in Milan. With over 32,000 Weibo fans and posts from bloggers and media outlets alike (including Style-stepEDX, Ellemen, Nowher, IWeekly, and Vogue), the brand’s WeChat post has over 4,500 reads so far. It’s no surprise: the duo certainly know how to capture imaginations. Ida Petersson, buying director at Browns, observes how “ this season, Pronounce executed the perfect blend of womenswear and menswear silhouettes, playing beautifully with androgyny.” In particular, the inclusion of Chinese dolls offered a real sense of intrigue, with the figures and their retro faces peeking out from beneath reimagined denim and Mao suits. 

Pronounce’s “Whirlpool” collection takes inspiration from vintage Chinese vinyl dolls and the circle motif. Photo: Courtesy

Susan Fang certainly made a splash at her debut: an event set in a leisure center, which saw her jump into Weibo’s top ten ranking, scooping an EMV of $145,000 (1.2 million RMB) for her airy, rippling dresses that floated down the aisles. Petersson is enthusiastic: “I t’s great to welcome back Susan Fang to the LFW lineup, as it has such a strong identity that always converts so well on the runway.” Read more on Wang’s debut here . 

Susan Fang’s LFW show featured giant inflatables on a pool. Photo: Courtesy

Another standout was Chet Lo, who, like Fang, is no stranger to popularity. Although not currently stocked in China, he has benefitted from the halo effect of being worn by global stars like Dua Lipa. “Being Chinese-American, I had the incredible opportunity of growing up with both eastern and western influences. I love to combine the two worlds within my collections,” Lo affirms. This design duality has seen him win “many orders from the Chinese public and private clients without an e-commerce.” Lo cites the vibrancy of the city as his main draw, adding, “it has such an exciting and youthful energy, it really nurtures the next generation of creatives. This is rarely seen elsewhere in the world.”

Finally, opting for the presentation format was J E Cai, a Shantou native already based in London and a graduate of the Royal College of Art. Quoting Laozi’s Tao Te Ching , Cai’s conceptual methodology proposes an alternative approach to fashion centered on an open dialogue between the designer and wearer. “I chose to have a presentation because my clothing is based on a modular system, and if it’s just on the runway, like I did at Shanghai Fashion Week previously, I think it’s hard for people to understand,” he shares. “After living in London for five years, I think the city is one of innovation. That’s why I’m here.”  

Draping and soft elements come to the fore of J E Cai’s latest collection. Photo: Courtesy

Rather than stage physical events, a range of Chinese brands opted for the film program offered by the BFC, including newcomer Xu Zhang with its dramatic, laser-cut menswear and Taiwan’s OqLiq, which played on the heritage of Chinghsing’s tea culture. From Hong Kong, Forme De Fluidité was featured by the BFC’s Discovery Lab while Marrknull’s fashion-forward looks were presented on a diverse selection of “ statuesque” models in a conceptual exploration of the designer’s theme: man-made gods. Eyewear make Victor Wong — in its eighth outing at the event — gave an exploration of the natural beauty of southern China’s mountains and rivers. And, in what might be a first for the sector (and definitely the label), Wong accessorized his eyewear with a new clothing line based on Chinese culture, specifically that of the Miao and Yao people. 

The story of 8on8’s ultra-light technical yarns was told in “Stretching Club Vol.02,” a tongue-in-cheek flipbook which resembled a retro catalog, inspired by the vivid and colorful city pop culture of the 1980s (with golfing references). For co-founder Leo Gong, who has secured investment from Peacebird, the digital lineup is “kind of flexible.” But as someone who has attended the IRL schedule, he still “looks forward to the next physical outing in London.” As he says, “it’s still quite complicated for traveling as we still have to lock down somewhere for a while when we return to China.” 

Finally, Mithridate (with 114,000 Weibo fans) presented a film of its catwalk held prior to LFW (on September 6). “The reasoning behind showing physically pre-LFW is to engage with our audience more effectively,” founder Demon Zhang tells Jing Daily . For her, the digital outing is, then, not only a reminder that it is “officially recognized by the BFC,” but acts as a “visual enhancement” for wider audiences through a second exposure.

Mithridate’s Spring 2023 collection “explores traditional magic and the reality of mystery in our modern world.” Photo: Courtesy

As always, LFW is all about newness and there were many absolute beginners on the program. Although strictly speaking not brand new, KWK is only in its second season at LFW. It included seemingly impossible silhouettes on the runway to open Sunday. Claudia Wang and Ray Chu from Taiwan and Ruirui Deng who lives in Nanjing were all absolute newbies. Still studying in Taiwan, Wang went lo-fi, showing a paired back selection of her hand-drawn virtual prints and garments. 

France-born, Taiwanese designer Claudia Wang created her brand in 2020. Photo: Claudia Wang

For Deng — who produces by hand in Kings Cross while running crochet and other workshops to power her line — it was now or never. She had delayed her plans for two years and was enthusiastic to finally make them happen. “I think it’s open to Chinese designers here,” she remarks. “Here, I have a bigger platform to let the industry see my work.” 

Chu admits his first presentation on Saturday was a learning curve. “Simply getting to know people and meeting them, receiving media exposure and better visibility, that’s already valuable enough for me as a return. But now, I want to learn about doing events that create a great explosion,” declares the founder of the gender-fluid line. Already, Chu has astutely grasped the concept of collaborations — debuting two in this collection — which are so often vital to transitioning from fledgling startup to viable business. 

Currently based in London but hailing from Hong Kong, Keiyan Wong, founder of Tæfita, was eager to be here this season. Following their BA at London College of Fashion, their leap to the alternative Fashion Scout roster is a tried and tested path of their predecessors (including Masha Ma and Susan Fang). Founder Martyn Roberts describes this platform as having been “scouting and showcasing Chinese designers since we first launched Masha Ma in 2010.” Now, he believes the new generation are proving their worth on the runway. “They showed once again that China is a hotbed for new talent and attracted attention from across the globe.” 

Keiyan Wong presented their gender-fluid, dramatic designs at London Fashion Week. Photo: Chris Yates

Yonghao Xie from Guangzhou in Canton Province was also a first timer here. Xie joined the growing number of locals choosing to study in Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts’ fashion department (Di Du, Shuting Qiu, Windowsen and more). Offering 20 looks (his 10 graduate ones plus 10 new ones) partly produced in China, the designer conveyed what he feels to be an “essentially European” aesthetic. “London is a bigger market with lots of creatives and the best first step for me to show to a bigger audience. I’ve lived in Europe for eight years now and would love to have my studio in the city as there’s more access to people. Fashion Scout will be my first stop next season too,” Xie mentions.

Lastly, American-born Chinese jeweler Samantha Siu held an intimate dinner at the Ned, where she debuted a 10-piece collection celebrating love, partially handcrafted in China.  

The stark reality is that as the lingering effects of the pandemic continue, Chinese talent is less visible to the international community. For buyers like Petersson, Shanghai Fashion Week was where they spotted new names (such as Shushu/Tong or Angel Chen). But now, they rely on events like BFC’s to connect with global industry players and potential partners. Even Brexit, high costs, and the ambiguity of the event’s financial ROI haven’t dented its allure for China’s homegrown labels. The capital might not always retain this revered status. But for now, it’s all the richer for this international draw. 

Today, Burberry confirmed the news that most of the fashion industry had already guessed: Daniel Lee has been appointed the British luxury house’s chief creative officer and will take the helm starting on October 3. In his new role, the designer from Bradford will oversee all of Burberry’s collections and present his debut runway show at London Fashion Week in February 2023. London trading shares rose 3.4 percent to £17.42 (133 RMB) on the news.

This means that the outgoing Riccardo Tisci’s Spring 2023 collection, shown this week in London with turnouts from Naomi Campbell (and watched by Kayne West from the front row) was his last for the company. It marks the end of a five-year stint for the designer who during his time there reimagined the Thomas Burberry Monogram. His exit follows that of Marco Gobbetti in 2021 — the chief executive who hired him — who has now been replaced by Jonathan Akeroyd (formerly of McQueen and Versace).

So what did China make of this? While Burberry has yet to officially share the announcement to its 1.7 million official Weibo fans, and there’s as of yet no hashtag trending, media outlets and KOLs have already started to spread the news. Mr. Jiliang, Neil王静昌, Mars, Fashion_BangZ, 单品毁灭者, and Tencent Fashion have all reported it. Overall it seems the fact that a British person is running the brand built on trench coats and that iconic check (with a British CEO, too) is resonating well with local audiences.

Recommended ReadingBurberry Brings Its Signature TB Monogram To Chinese TikTokBy Wenzhuo Wu

Burberry has 62 stores in total across Greater China and the market holds a vital importance to the label: in the first half of the financial year 2021 , it was the group’s largest. Yet it reported sales growth of only 1 percent in its latest financial quarter because of the ongoing impact of Beijing’s lockdowns. The retailer went on to say that mainland sales fell 35 percent because of these restrictions and store closures, while they grew 16 percent across the rest of the world in the 13 weeks to July 2.

On June’s earnings call, CFO Julie Brown warned of a challenging trading environment in the new financial year. As well as these headwinds, the lack of “It” bags in recent years has also led to the plateauing of Burberry’s popularity, says Yishu Wang, founder of China agency Half A World. “Bags are the most important category in luxury for the Chinese consumer. Brands that manage to make iconic and popular handbags can lead the race,” she explains. 

On this point, Lee is a perfect fit. From 2018 to 2021, he acted as creative director at Bottega Veneta, where he helped redefine the Italian line and grew its appeal among younger audiences. Wang suggests that its pouch bag, released during Lee’s tenure, became “one of the most sought-after bags in China.” 

The Pouch handbag, introduced in the Fall/Winter 2019 collection, was Lee’s first “It” bag for Bottega Veneta. Photo: Bottega Veneta

A pioneering collaboration saw Li Jiaqi, the country’s top livestream blogger, sell 230 of another of Lee’s Bottega Veneta creations, The Mini Pouch, in seconds flat. “With this track record, it’s no surprise to see the excitement in China for his appointment at Burberry,” Wang continues. It is even arguable, she notes, that Lee’s experimentation in the department is what made Bottega Veneta an “It” brand.

Having said that, the Italian Tisci, who had previously reigned at Givenchy for over a decade, wasn’t exactly without his fans. The menswear sold well in China. Off the record, one Taiwanese fashion CEO lamented, “I do love Riccardo as I’m a bit more of a goth myself.” 

But even they couldn’t deny the partnership made sense: “Daniel does seem like a great fit.”

What Happened: Dior is extending its Chinaverse push once again. On September 27, the French luxury fashion house presented its Spring/Summer 2023 ready-to-wear show in the metaverse via digital space Meta-Ziwu in virtual universe XiRang — a Web3 application owned by Chinese search engine conglomerate Baidu. Audiences were able to watch the livestream within a digitally-rendered space complete with large-scale Dior logos and an other-wordly aesthetic. 

Dior presented its SS23 show in Baidu’s virtual world, XiRang. Photo: Via Zoe Magazine

The Jing Take: The project signals a continuation of Dior’s exploration of the mainland’s online dimensions, as well as an expansion of its existing relationship with the tech giant. Only earlier this year did we see the label launch its first-ever metaverse exhibition,”‘On The Road,” again in partnership with Baidu and its virtual landscape of Meta-Ziwu. With this in mind, could the collaboration become a regular running narrative for the brand? This latest runway suggests that the maison could be working towards crafting a long-term relationship with the metaverse media platform as part of its China takeover strategy. 

But, as always for the luxury stalwarts, there’s competition. Investment banking company JPMorgan predicts that the total addressable market in China for business services and software in the metaverse will reach $27 billion (195.3 billion RMB), while digitalizing the offline consumption of goods and services will make up a $4 trillion market in China. As a result, we’re witnessing the proliferation of luxury houses utilizing large-scale tech groups in the country to leverage their virtual brand presences. In August, Prada livestreamed the repeat of its Fall 2022 collection via XiRang, in which onlookers across the globe could transport directly to the showcase and wave goodbye to the spatial constraints between the physical and virtual.  

Recommended ReadingPrada Captures China’s Attention With Help From The MetaverseBy Bethanie Ryder

Will more brands begin to recognize the opportunities of XiRang? Is it possible that the Chinaverse may see its first-ever Metaverse Fashion Week schedule in the near future? If so, challenges lie ahead for Dior on how it can differentiate itself from its contenders to stay culturally relevant and remain one of the most influential, China-savvy luxury names across the mainland.

The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media

Last week, the long-established Italian fashion label Salvatore Ferragamo announced that it was changing its name. From now on, it will be known simply as FERRAGAMO. The new moniker comes with a rebranded logo, designed by the famous graphic designer Peter Saville, in a simple serif font that reflects the house’s classy identity. To mark the occasion, FERRAGAMO launched a new flagship color registered in Pantone with the color number 3546C: a deep, emotive red.

All eyes were on the brand’s recent outing at Milan Fashion Week, as the event represented the debut of the label’s new creative director, Maximilian Davis. The decision to officially announce the name change at the opening of the schedule’s proceedings naturally increased expectations. 

FERRAGAMO Spring/Summer 2023 debuted on September 24, 1:30 p.m. local time, at the historic site of the seminary of the Archdiocese of Milan. It was a dialogue between the classic and the contemporary, where elegant traditions were reimagined through fearless, pioneering perspectives. As the new brand color illuminated the mysterious atmosphere of the seminary building, guests watched as the connections between FERRAGAMO and Hollywood played out in a new light. 

Milan’s historical seminary site gets a Hollywood makeover

Davis explained how he “wanted to take a new perspective on Hollywood culture and pay homage to the origins of the FERRAGAMO brand.” From Salvatore Ferragamo’s 1959 heels for Marilyn Monroe to the 1988 Wanda bag, the young designer had dug into FERRAGAMO’s 95-year-old brand archives to reinterpret Hollywood classics with a contemporary aesthetic.

The setting similarly had all the grandeur of the golden age of cinema. Passing through the imposing baroque entrance, you see a magnificent courtyard of about 3,000 square meters surrounded by a double colonnade. Red scrim fills the gaps between the upper and lower levels, and pillars become the brushstrokes outlining the geometric contours of classical architecture. Red, a symbol of the maison’s renewal, also spreads out onto the floor, where the vermilion stone becomes a blank canvas for capturing human footprints: after the show, the steps of the models, the caress of the clothes, and the footprints of the visitors were all recorded on this fine red stone.

This venue, the former seminary of the Archbishop at Venice Boulevard No.11, will be transformed at the end of November into Portrait Milano, the new hotel of the Ferragamo family’s hotel group Lungarno Collection. Built in 1564, the building is one of the oldest seminaries in Europe and lies at the heart of Milan’s fashion district. The monumental and dramatic nature of the architecture will carry the spirit of the brand — both merging art of the past with modern lifestyle — and serve as a bridge between the city and its historical glory.

Looks from Davis’ debut collection for FERRAGAMO. Photo: Courtesy

Alongside the signature red, optical white, deep indigo, cream, sky blue, and other colors from the Sunset Series by artist Rachel Harrison can be found in the collection’s gradient prints and hand-dyed fabrics. Organza and cotton poplin — loose, slim, and translucent — swayed before the backdrop of fine red sand. Here, the drama of the event was offset by the collection’s references to lazy comfort, to beach-holiday romance, to summer and sand. Davis sums it up best: “the show is as casual and sexy as possible.” 

Bringing new blood to the century-old fashion house

This season marks the official start of FERRAGAMO’s rebranding journey led by its new creative director. The young British designer, a graduate of the London College of Fashion, was born in a Trinidad-Jamaican family in Manchester who encouraged his early talent. At the age of only 26, Davis is already a design star — winning the hearts of celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, and many more.  

Maximilian Davis joined FERRAGAMO as its new creative director in March 2022. Photo: Courtesy

The much-anticipated event demonstrated how he would integrate his personal style into the Italian brand’s DNA. “Sandstone is closely related to FERRAGAMO, Hollywood, and the sea, and has a strong bond with me,” said Davis. “In Caribbean culture, the ocean is a place that inspires thought and feeling. I wanted to explain the meaning of the sea to Caribbean culture from FERRAGAMO’s perspective.”

Davis is not the only new face at the firm. Last June, the Italian luxury outfit announced the appointment of Marco Gobbetti as its new CEO, who officially took office on January 1. Gobbetti has nearly 40 years of experience working with the LVMH group and is known for revitalizing companies and building them into global powerhouses. 

In March, Gobbetti appointed Davis as the next creative director of FERRAGAMO, signaling the launch of a new product-oriented plan. Gobbetti said in the first quarter post-earnings meeting in May that the business plans to double its sales in four to five years and double its marketing communications expenses from 2023 onwards (eventually reaching 10 percent of sales). The enterprise is expected to invest €400 million (2.75 billion RMB) in-store refurbishments, technology, and supply chains between 2023 and 2026.

The appointment of Davis is an important part of FERRAGAMO’s strategy of reaching younger consumers, and the young designer is already living up to expectations by breathing life into the nearly century-old establishment. At the same time, Davis’ distinctive designs may boost sales in ready-to-wear, transforming its current situation where footwear and leather account for more than 80 percent of sales. The company wants to strike a balance between maintaining product sales and reducing reliance on one single category.

Undoubtedly, the world is experiencing a change in retail as the younger generation grows into the main consumer force — becoming a target group that the luxury industry cannot afford to ignore. They favor personalized, youthful design and appreciate a diversified consumer experience. Therefore, in addition to revamping its products, FERRAGAMO began its digital transformation a long time ago in order to conquer the high-end virtual battlefield.

Following the launch of its new official website in Europe and the United States, FERRAGAMO finished upgrading its Chinese website in 2020, completing the online shopping journey for mainland customers. The label has also been stationed on platforms such as Tmall Luxury, JD.com, and WeChat mini-program to meet the needs of domestic shoppers with a more localized service.

FERRAGAMO is stationed on Tmall Luxury. Photo: Screenshot

In July 2022, FERRAGAMO officially debuted on the Poizon APP with leather goods, shoes, handbags, and other multi-category products, and launched graphics, videos, and livestreams to connect with young locals. A month later, the brand announced a global strategic partnership with luxury e-commerce platform Farfetch to drive digital business growth and further develop its appeal with millennials and Gen Zers.

On its official Tmall flagship store, official WeChat mini-program, and official Weibo, FERRAGAMO delivered the livestream of its Spring/Summer 2023 show. Fashion bloggers @宇博gogoboi and @Fil小白, as well as stars such as Gulnazar, Chen Linong, Fu Jing, and Zhou Keyu, were invited to watch the show together offline to hype up the event. At the time of writing, the related Weibo posts have received 105,000 likes and 39,000 retweets; the Weibo topic reached 230 million hits; and the live show in collaboration with Tencent has received 27.84 million views in total. It is reported that the house also set up a WeChat group for senior media personnel for the first time, sharing runway clips in a timeline manner to maximize publicity.

Chinese actress Gulnazar was invited to watch the FERRAGAMO Spring/Summer 2023 show. Photo: Courtesy

And so FERRAGAMO’s strategy is proceeding according to plan — and with much success. Earlier this month, the group announced key figures for the first half of fiscal year 2022, with sales up 20.3 percent year-on-year to €630 million (4.3 billion RMB), above analysts’ expectations of €621 million. With the two-prong strategy of digitalization and targeting younger consumers, FERRAGAMO’s goal of doubling revenue within five years is within reach. 

What Happened: On September 26, Hong Kong ushered in a new “0+3” arrangement for inbound travelers where mandatory hotel quarantine will be cancelled for the first time in over two years. Under this scheme, visitors can use a negative result from a self-arranged rapid antigen test (rather than a nucleic acid test) to board their flights. Once at Hong Kong International Airport, they will be tested again but will not be required to wait on-site for their results. With the mandatory hotel quarantine lifted, travelers are free to move around as they please but must adhere to three days of medical surveillance followed by a four-day period of self-monitoring.

The Jing Take: This is a relaxation only in the most relative sense. While travelers no longer need to endure the dreaded hotel quarantine — which could last up to 21 days at points — they still have to undergo a barrage of COVID tests (those who plan an eight-day trip will be subjected to these a whopping 12 times) which will likely deter pure tourists. Moreover, they are barred from “high-risk premises” such as restaurants, shopping malls, and bars for the first three days. Even the chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board acknowledged that the move “is expected to initially attract mainly business travelers, family visitors, and returning Hong Kong residents.”

The new testing requirements went into effect on September 26. Photo: Hong Kong Tourism Board

To revive the local economy, these remaining restrictions would have to be scrapped. While travel-related searches for Hong Kong saw an uptick on Expedia , this was still overshadowed by the surge of outbound flight interest — indicating that the announcement was not as attractive as hoped. The ongoing zero-COVID policy has already cost the city its standing as Asia’s top financial hub due to an exodus of professional talent, a situation that has restricted its ability to conduct normal levels of business.

Still, Hong Kong retailers aren’t just waiting around for foreign shoppers to come back and hand them a recovery. Famously popular with mainland Chinese tourists, Tsim Sha Tsui’s mega shopping mall Harbour City opened more than 70 stores in the first three quarters of 2022, including a Dior flagship, and expects a total of 100 new tenants by the end of the year. Meanwhile, New World Group’s K11 Musea recorded a year-on-year increase of 21 percent in sales in H2 2021 while sister property K11 Art Mall added over 30 new brands, with the latter reaching a record high footfall last December and surpassing pre-pandemic sales. From hosting pop-up installations and art exhibitions to handing out coupons, these centers have doubled down on stimulating local consumption.

Recommended ReadingHope for Hong Kong Despite Lack of TouristsBy Julienna Law

If Hong Kong wants to reclaim its status as both a leading business and travel destination, the government will need to further moderate its rules, especially as others in the region do the same. But at least by the time tourists do show up, fingers crossed, a world of luxury outlets will be waiting to welcome them.

The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media

Valentino’s Pink PP campaign has been making waves on China’s social media since the house announced its dedicated takeover of the coastal city of Qinhuangdao’s Aranya district. Between September 22 and October 31, the beachfront Aranya Community Hall will be painted with the shade co-created by the brand and Pantone Color Institute.

Alongside this landmark event, a local cafe at the Tang hotel has had pink touches added on everything from coffee cup sleeves to ice cream cone holders. The all-pink visual merchandising like “V” logos and repainted parasols brought in quite a crowd, eager for the caffeine as much as the photo opportunity.

The Tang Valentino Pink PP Cafè. Photo: Courtesy of Valentino

According to iiMedia’s report, the market size of the country’s fresh coffee market was about $12.26 billion (87.6 billion RMB) in 2021, with a growth rate of 38.9 percent year-on-year. The number is expected to reach $26.58 billion (190 billion RMB) by 2024. More importantly, in the first- and second-tier cities, the drink has become a habit for many consumers and a crucial part of office culture. Given this, the image of coffee can help the maison, known for its haute couture, to become more approachable — and forge emotional connections with the younger generations.

A pop-up showroom was unveiled to present the Pink PP Fall 2022–23 offering, as well as the line’s collaboration with renowned novelist Douglas Coupland. The new capsule collection, composed of two cotton sweatshirts and two t-shirts in either black or the exclusive Pink PP, is online-exclusive beyond this special preview.

Valentino Pink PP showroom. Photo: Courtesy of Valentino

On September 22, Valentino kicked off the campaign with a physical event in Aranya, with attendees including brand ambassadors Lay Zhang, Li Ronghao, and Guan Xiaotong, Korean singer Jessica Jung, Chinese idol Liu Yu, and Gao Qingchen from boy group INTO1. Singer Li’s appointment was announced on the same day of the event, which did great things for the online traffic. And Zhang and Li’s all-pink looks worked to challenge the designation of pink as a color for girls — a nice touch, considering the firm’s belief in inclusivity. The online discussion of celebrity exposure has amounted to 1.1 billion on Weibo within just 2 days.

Valentino’s brand ambassadors Lay Zhang, Li Ronghao and Guan Xiaotong, Korean singer Jessica Jung (swipe left) Photo: Courtesy of Valentino

The presence of the Korean idol and ex-member of the K-pop band Girls’ Generation was also a cause for excitement. Her performance in the hyper-popular variety show Sisters Who Make Waves (乘风破浪的姐姐) has given the star a much bigger profile in China. She suited the color well, and campaign photos featuring her long dress with bow details received 4,500 comments and 22,100 likes on Weibo.

Thanks to the localized approach, Valentino’s Aranya initiatives have driven over 1,000 user-generated posts on Xiaohongshu. When searching “Valentino” on the lifestyle social platform, the number of posts including the keywords escalated from 110,000 to 160,000 in 3 days. The unique and bold color has allowed the label’s pink takeovers to become users’ social media moments, like the many visitors who took selfies with the Aranya Community Hall and pink coffee cups.

Valentino could not have achieved the success of the Pink PP campaign here without the selection of Aranya. The seaside travel destination has seen increased popularity among young visitors in recent years, due to its commitment to creating a more inclusive and artistic lifestyle through various cultural projects. Sharing such values, the Italian establishment wanted to create visual experiences that would inspire audiences who yearn for an escape from urban life.

With 48 boutiques in the mainland, Hongkong, Macau, and Taiwan, Valentino has achieved an ambitious offline expansion in the Chinese market. In particular, the make has been reinforcing its presence in key cities such as Chengdu, Wuhan, and Guangzhou. A new store has just been opened in Shenzhen Bay MixC mall this week.

Earlier this year, CEO Jacopo Venturini disclosed that the business’ revenue was $1.36 billion (9.75 billion RMB) in 2021, posting a 41 percent jump in sales last year at constant exchange rates and a 3 percent growth compared to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Based on this momentum, in April the organization appointed Janice Lam as its chief executive of China (directly reporting to Venturini). Lam’s lead on expansion in the region will focus on “inspiring a sense of belonging, company passion, retail engagement, and client experience,” as detailed in Valentino’s statement. The leadership has been validated by the smart color marketing strategy behind the Pink PP campaign. By crafting an upgraded brand image with both modern and legacy attributes, Valentino should expect the payoff of its repositioning strategy.

With China’s crackdown on badly behaved celebrities (and their devoted fans ) showing no sign of stopping, and government regulators keeping close tabs on brands’ marketing and advertising efforts, luxury brands face a rapidly changing market where the old way of doing business simply won’t work any longer. 

This isn’t just reflected in how brands need to spread their message in China — especially to reach the increasingly important Gen Z demographic — but also where . Over the past few years, some of the more adventurous global brands active in mainland China have turned to program sponsorships and integrations as an effective way to get in front of young audiences. 

This was first evident on major streaming sites like iQiyi, Tencent Video, and Mango TV. Idol competition programs like The Rap of China  and Sisters Who Make Waves  attracted millions of viewers along with sponsors like Valentino and Absolut vodka — and gave brands like Burberry and Supreme valuable unpaid screen time. Yet over the past year, young audiences and sponsors alike have increasingly turned to short video platforms like Douyin and Bilibili to get their entertainment fix in bite-sized pieces, providing new opportunities for brands to get in on popular content trends both earlier and cheaper. 

Valentino dressed the contestants of Sisters Who Make Waves Season 3 in its Pink PP collection. Photo: Valentino

This year, short video platforms have rolled out new programs in rapid-fire succession, looking for the next program concept that will stick. Considering Beijing regulators essentially put the kibosh on idol competition shows last year, we’ve seen a rash of relatively vanilla reality and variety shows hit the (very) small screen, with Bilibili arguably leading the way. Over the past year, Bilibili has pumped out dozens of reality programs, among them 90s Dating Agency (90婚介所2022), the college graduation series The Way We Were (第四个夏天), and the Gen Z art competition Crazy Artist (疯狂艺术家). 

Yet one of the more interesting variations on this theme is led not by Bilibili, Douyin, or Kuaishou but by Zhihu . Better known as a sort of Quora-meets-Reddit, Zhihu recently took its first step into entertainment via three “micro variety shows” ( 微综艺席). The programs are squarely aimed at Gen Z viewers with short attention spans, centered around some of the most popular themes in China right now: talk shows, documentaries, and reality shows. Wild Talk (荒野会谈), for example, brings together a group of young people for laidback chats in the wilderness, effortlessly leveraging China’s red-hot outdoor leisure trend. Meanwhile, The Career I Long For (我所向往的职业啊) and Goodbye, My Failed Gaokao! (我的高考笑忘书) take a more documentary approach, respectively focusing on careers and China’s notoriously difficult college entrance exam.

Goodbye, My Failed Gaokao! follows the lives of 12 people who failed the Gaokao exam. Photo: Zhihu

Though new, the shows have attracted headlines due to their relaxed style and pacing, lack of gimmicks, and casting of “real” people rather than celebrities or KOLs — with the exception of Zhihu personalities like Li Songwei, who appears on Wild Talks (which has been favorably compared to the Bilibili series Informal Talks ). 

Short, themed programs in themselves might not be groundbreaking, but where this story gets interesting is in the depth of data Zhihu has at its disposal to create new programs (and therefore present sponsorship or product placement opportunities for brands). Based on the questions most commonly asked and answered on its platform, Zhihu has its finger on the pulse of what young demographics care the most about at any given time. As such, its first three program topics are a no-brainer; career and gaokao anxiety is evergreen, while millions of young Chinese now dream of reconnecting with nature (and one other) after nearly three years of COVID restrictions. For a brand, Zhihu’s understanding of what its users care about and want to watch at any time makes for a compelling brand sponsorship selling point.

From the looks of it, the lift for Zhihu in terms of cost and effort has been minimal, indicating the platform is dipping its toe into short video content creation by outsourcing production and solely casting personalities from within the Zhihu sphere, for now at least. And while the first shows recorded relatively modest (for China) viewership — The Career I Long For led the way with 52 million views, followed by Wild Talks with nearly 44 million — Zhihu seems to be taking the long view, understanding that its core users need time to adjust to this type of format.

So while micro variety shows may be an untested field for luxury brands, it could be the next one to try out, if only to reach some of Zhihu’s 106 million monthly active users .

An extraordinary artistic spectacle was unveiled in Milan on September 24. In celebration of Moncler’s 70th anniversary, the house ignited the historical Piazza del Duomo in the heart of the city, with a performance directed by the avant-garde French choreographer Sadeck Berrabah (also known as Sadeck Waff). On the heels of the magical night event welcoming local communities, Moncler inaugurated a 70-day program of special events and brand experiences around the world.

The celebration programs mark an important moment for the Moncler brand, as Remo Ruffini, Chairman and CEO of Moncler Group, commented. “We look back at the path taken, whilst looking ahead to the future based on what we have learnt and what we continue to dream,” explains Ruffini.

As a Milan-based luxury house with French roots, Moncler will roll out various initiatives beyond Europe and engage global communities, including China. Since the brand entered China in 2009, it has established 62 offline boutiques and extensive digital presence in the region. With the grand kickoff of the ceremony, Jing Daily overviews its dynamic activities across international markets and its China strategy with a long-term vision.

Dive into Moncler’s 70 years of heritage

Founded in Monestier-de-Clermont, France in 1952, Moncler has gone through monumental shifts over the past seven decades. To celebrate its mountaineering history, the house launched a global campaign named Extraordinary Forever, which shares photographs of significant moments from its archive. Among the milestones featured were the brand’s sponsorship of the French downhill ski team for the Grenoble Winter Olympics in 1968 and the Moncler jacket becoming an iconic product of Paninari youth culture in the 1980s.

Archive images from Moncler (swipe left). Photo: Courtesy of Moncler

By shedding light on Moncler’s sophisticated growth — from making equipment for adventurers to designing luxury outerwear — the heritage campaign cements the house’s alpine roots and its speciality in ski-performance. More importantly, it elevates consumers’ understanding of the brand culture and DNA and helps them envision Moncler’s future potential.

Celebrate the anniversary with engaging activations worldwide

A staple of both sportswear and street style, Moncler’s Maya jacket has become a symbol of the brand’s modern era and one of the most prominent puffer pieces in the luxury sector. The timeless allure of the garment made it a significant part of the 70th anniversary celebrations. Named Moncler New Maya 70, the cult jacket collection will feature 13 special-edition colors inspired by life outdoors. In particular, the flax yellow version will be exclusively available on Tmall, which is expected to add to the product’s appeal with Chinese digital natives.

Along with the limited-edition Maya 70 series, the puffer disruptor will also progressively unveil its collaboration with seven world-famous designers from mid-October to November. These include Francesco Ragazzi, Thom Brown, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Rick Owens, Giambattista Valli, Pierpaolo Piccioli, and Pharrell Williams. Joining hands with these creative talents aligns with the powerhouse’s commitment to breaking boundaries and facilitating cultural inclusivity.

In addition to product-driven projects, a multisensory journey — the “Extraordinary Expedition” world touring exhibition — will be brought to global visitors. Featuring interactive experiences and limited-edition NFT drops, these events will kick off in New York on October 5, and later arrive in London, Seoul, and Tokyo. In late October, the tour will be virtually presented in China via WeChat, where users can explore multisensory film and narrative design in a more intimate setting.

Enrich the Moncler story with a China-focused mission

Moncler has showcased its strong commitment to China with localized marketing campaigns and product releases in the past years. And these initiatives have paid off in the market, according to the group’s financial numbers. The Moncler brand recorded impressive financial numbers in H1 2022, reaching 724.3 million euros in revenues and growth of 27 percent compared to the same period of 2021. Though the brand’s performance was negatively impacted by the lockdowns in the Chinese mainland due to the closure of around one-third of stores in April and May, June showed a strong improvement with the reopening of all the stores.

In the third quarter of 2022, Moncler continued to expand its product portfolios in China, with the introduction of its first fragrances for men and women, named The Moncler Pour Femme and Pour Homme, and the launch of new footwear line called Trailgrip. In addition to implementing a broader segmentation strategy, the house has been proactively engaging new audiences outside the fashion and luxury sectors and branching out into arts, lifestyle, design, and sports.

Unveiled in 2021, the Moncler fragrance line was officially introduced to Chinese consumers this August. Photo: Courtesy of Moncler

As Ruffini stated in the H1 2022 earnings call, “There is no future without a past, and that the past alone is not enough to ensure a bright future.” With the global campaign spotlighting the various initiatives that helped Moncler achieve success over 70 years, the luxury mainstay further consolidates its innovative brand image as a full-fledged house rooted in a community-centric and digital-driven culture.

What Happened: After a two-and-a-half-year absence under stringent COVID travel restrictions, a handful of China’s biggest fashion bloggers and KOLs have finally made it back to the front rows of Milan Fashion Week. They were seen at the likes of Prada, Gucci, Ferragamo, Fendi, and Versace shows. One of the most successful homegrown personalities, Tao Liang, better known as “Mr. Bags,” is thoroughly enjoying being back in action: “I feel so excited to come back to the fashion weeks! To see all the latest designs and creations in person is very different from seeing them via the internet,” he tells Jing Daily .

With over 6.7 million Weibo followers, a reputation for being able to convert fandom into serious sales, and collaborations with the likes of Givenchy, Fendi, and Tod’s under his belt, Mr. Bags’ return has been welcomed by the Italian lines — especially in light of recent Chinese luxury retail slumps amidst COVID lockdowns. Other mainland names made an appearance too, veteran singer Na Ying flying in for Moncler’s 70th-anniversary event.

The Jing Take: But it’s a trickle rather than a flood. Although we’ve seen the likes of Mr. Bags, Yuyu Zhangzou, and Cici Xiang making waves on the Milan circuit, the Chinese KOL contingent is noticeably much smaller than it was in pre-pandemic days. And you wonder if most of the country’s celebrities are still trying to keep a low profile for now.

“For me, you need to be in fashion week, to feel that vibe from the people, in real life, not just on a livestream or from your phone or laptop,” says Yuyu, known for her fun, eclectic style and 3.5 million Weibo followers. “Fashion week gives this really strong feeling of passion — of how people around inspire you. It’s a big festival and I was so happy to be back.” 

Yuyu, a fashion blogger with 3.5 million Weibo followers, was spotted at Milan Fashion Week. Photo: Courtesy of Yuyu

Beijing’s strict regulations still insist that citizens are not allowed to travel overseas purely for leisure purposes. Usually an official work visa must be obtained, or you must present an official letter of invitation from a company to go abroad (for professional reasons). Upon return, most destinations institute the 7+3 rule: seven days in government hotel quarantine and three days restricted movement at home. These barriers are making it difficult for most KOLs, PR, and media to attend international schedules — even if it is for work. So to generate some buzz in the domestic market, houses like Gucci and Etro have been holding almost simultaneous screening parties of their Milan shows within China, though the impact of these (versus the real thing) may be limited.  

For high fashion influencers, attendance at these global spectacles represents a major competitive angle; not just commercially (when businesses pay them to attend or post) but also for fan clout, expertise, and credibility. “As a blogger who writes about handbags, I definitely have a much deeper impression and memory of the pieces I saw during the fashion shows,” explains Mr. Bags. “With the music, the model’s walk, the runway atmosphere, the bags become more alive. And the designer’s point of view on how they want them to be portrayed is also clearer. Later when I really write about my recommendations and thoughts, it’s so much easier for me to remember those bags I saw at an event.”

Mr. Bags and Yuyu sit front row at the Fendi show together with Caroline Daur and Chriselle Lim. Photo: Courtesy of Mr. Bags

The China market is of course still a big priority for major European groups. Some smaller labels might have pulled out, but most of the larger ones are still banking on Chinese growth in the wake of European economic woes such as war and inflation. When it comes to someone who can generate sales like Mr. Bags does — his previous Givenchy Valentine’s collaboration sold out in 12 minutes, netting a total of $170,000 (1.2 million RMB), while his Tod’s partnership raked in $500,000 (3 million RMB) in just seven minutes — his presence at Milan is a soothing reminder for brands of that still massive China potential.  

The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

Brand audits are always fascinating. In a recent project we analyzed the messaging of a well-known luxury house, and the result revealed an issue that most face. When we asked the top leadership team, around 10 people, for their one-sentence description of the brand, it resulted in about 30 different aspects; instead of one sentence, on average there were three. On top of that, practically no two brand messages were the same. 

When there are even just a few inconsistencies in messaging at the top of any organization, these automatically multiply the further you go down the hierarchy. Hence, 30 messages can easily become 100, 1,000, or more different ways of how to describe the same brand. And these are not the exception — they are typical brand audit findings across countries, industries, and sectors. Very few companies manage to have one message, hence one brand story, across the organization. Brand stories today are, in most cases, a sea of sameness. 

This gets even more compounded if the employees, say in the sales department, feel that the brand message is more a “marketing message,” rather than a relevant one for them. The result: on an operational level people typically use their own way of describing the brand, like “this shoe company is from Italy and their quality is fantastic,” or “this French skincare brand gives you great results.” While these descriptions are positive, they are rather what I call a “category story” and not a “brand story.” In other words, they describe vaguely what the brand is doing and where it’s from. The problem is that any brand in the category could match these descriptions.

Recommended ReadingWhy Messaging Is Luxury’s SuperpowerBy Daniel Langer

As a result, the message around the brand gets ambiguous and undifferentiated. But more importantly, it creates practically no client-related value. In other words, for any client or audience that is being targeted, most brands resemble each other. They lack any specific cue about who they really are, with no purpose and little emotion. It’s not surprising that the service experience — based on a generic brand script — very seldomly stands out. 

This has fatal results: undifferentiated brands cannot realize any significant price premium so their profitability will be far below their potential, in some cases dramatically below. Advertising costs on increasingly complex and noisy digital and social platforms, whether in Web2 or Web3, skyrocket because the breakthrough of these blurry messages will be minimal. Thus, brands that are confusing in their messaging don’t reach their audience. Given that up to 95 percent of today’s luxury purchase decisions are influenced through digital audience interactions, the competitive disadvantage can endanger an entire brand. 

The consequences are even worse in luxury. ALV, short for Added Luxury Value, the main component of the perceived value of a luxury brand, is by far the most significant part of the total brand value. And it is dependent on the brand story. In other words: if there is ambiguity in the story, the brand suffers. Take Gucci for example: before Alessandro Michele took over the creative direction of the Kering label from Frieda Giannini, it significantly underperformed. The reason? Gucci’s story is traditionally about liberation, about being unapologetic in the way you dress and show up. It taps into a critical insight: that many people are — at least at times — either insecure or they feel that they must follow certain rules and conventions.

When Tom Ford was the creative helm of Gucci, his interpretation of the story was very provocative, often overly sexual, and the brand was one of the hottest. When he left, the consistency in storytelling was lost, and the brand declined significantly. Gucci felt more like other luxury brands and became much less distinctive. There was insufficient ALV, hence less perceived value despite many wonderful collections. 

Tom Ford, who served as creative director of Gucci from 1994 to 2004, was known for his provocative storytelling. Photo: Gucci

Then, when Michele took over the helm, his interpretation of unapologetic liberation was poetic, theatric, and often inspired by the 1970s. While very different to the vision of Tom Ford, both told the same story, both had the same fundamental message. Back on story, Gucci soared from one all-time high to another and prices increased steadily and significantly.

Another fascinating example is the collaboration between Nike’s Air Force 1 franchise, Louis Vuitton, and Virgil Abloh. Virgil was an outspoken fan of the Air Force 1 and he led Louis Vuitton’s first collaboration with Nike. Before the collection, limited to 200, was auctioned by Sotheby’s, Abloh sadly passed away. This made the “story” much more unique and non-repeatable. As a result, the highest bid in the auction exceeded $350,000. And we’re talking about a leather sneaker, not about a sports car! 

This is how much the clarity and uniqueness of a story and its message can boost ALV. Without the story, a pair of Air Force 1 retails around $180 dollars; add the story the price tag is multiplied almost 2,000 times, even accommodating for the higher quality leather and the craftsmanship of Louis Vuitton. Compared to around $1,800 for a pair of “standard” Louis Vuitton sneakers, the story-related value multiplier is almost 200.

Recommended ReadingIs Virgil Abloh’s Nike x Louis Vuitton Sneaker Worth $350,000?By Daniel Langer

Without a unique and intriguing story, these multipliers would collapse almost entirely. It teaches us that in luxury, story and message carry the value, not the product. The product is an expression of the story but not the story itself. And the value is intangible, which means it can collapse immediately when clarity is missing. This happens when what should be one message becomes many.

It’s a huge missed opportunity for many luxury names in terms of impact, clarity, and pricing potential. Therefore, messaging is luxury’s superpower and too many messages is its kryptonite. How many messages does your brand have?

This is an op-ed article that reflects the views of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Jing Daily.

Named one of the “Global Top Five Luxury Key Opinion Leaders to Watch,” Daniel Langer is the CEO of the luxury, lifestyle and consumer brand strategy firm Équité, and the executive professor of luxury strategy and pricing at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He consults many of the leading luxury brands in the world, is the author of several best-selling luxury management books, a global keynote speaker, and holds luxury masterclasses on the future of luxury, disruption, and the luxury metaverse in Europe, the USA, and Asia. Follow @drlanger

Fashion influencer and stylist Fil Xiaobai is next to be welcomed into the Jing Daily community of individuals shaping China’s booming luxury industry. These profiles highlight industry leaders who contribute to the national and global fashion communities, from creatives and influencers to business executives and entrepreneurs.

“There are many fashion KOLs, but none of them are Fil.” From anyone else, that self-description may come across as haughty. But for Fil Xiaobai, a Chinese millennial influencer with a decade’s worth of experience, it is one borne out of confidence. 

Fil Xiaobai boasts over 7 million followers across major social media platforms. Photo: Weibo

In 2011, Fil was just a student majoring in English Translation at Chengdu Foreign Language School. She could not have imagined that her love of fashion and participation in a street style photography contest held by Hainan TV’s Top Fashion would propel her towards becoming one of the country’s top KOLs. 

“I was very serious about this [referring to the contest]. I didn’t want to wear those recognizable luxury brands in the competition. Instead, I preferred to find niche brands to express my fashion ideas. That was probably the main reason why I won the championship. I always know what to wear,” Fil recalls.

With her bold, decisive style choices, Fil won the competition and was invited to travel overseas for Fashion Week. And she was initially thrilled to attend — until she looked online. As netizens questioned her qualifications and the negative comments piled up, she quickly came to terms with the business of fashion: one must earn the public’s recognition to secure a place in the industry.

So the Chengdu native worked hard to establish her name and soon rose to fame by working as a stylist on the fashion reality program I, Supermodel . This, along with her role in the idol competition program Produce 101, laid the groundwork for her career as a celebrity stylist.

But now, Fil considers herself more of a fashion KOL than anything else. Since starting her Weibo account in 2011, she has branched out to livestreaming to better engage with her followers, sharing her product suggestions and purchases from overseas boutiques. She has also grown an impressive portfolio of luxury clients, shooting with brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci.

Fil Xiaobai appeared at a Chanel event earlier this month. Photo: Xiaohongshu

Labeled a “first-generation KOL,” Fil has hustled to stay on top. When many other renowned content creators were suffering from burnout or hesitating to join emerging platforms, Fil buckled down and embraced the new trends. She  grew her profile on various platforms including Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Bilibili with consistent high-quality content, amassing over 7 million followers.

As fashion influencers continue to play a key role in shaping trends and promoting luxury brands, Jing Daily talked to Fil to better understand the opportunities and obstacles in the industry.

How would you describe a stylist as a profession? What distinguishes it from a fashion KOL?

High emotional intelligence, good taste, and the capacity to work hard. The barriers to becoming a stylist are high: it takes a lot of experience, especially for those types of stylists who lead trends, as well as talent. In contrast, the threshold for fashion KOLs is relatively low. Many individuals, even VIPs of numerous luxury labels, now share their outfits on social media channels which look no different from those of fashion bloggers. 

To excel in being a fashion KOL, you need to be recognizable and have additional vocations and skills. For example, I’m both a stylist and a fashion KOL. The two complement each other.

Fil Xiaobai is known for her street style. Photo: Xiaohongshu

What are the obstacles faced by today’s stylists?

Although stylists are invited to participate in many programs nowadays, many do not offer them enough creative freedom. For example, on a show, practically anyone can comment on a stylist’s look. This may make the work extremely difficult, and too many opinions can stifle the talent’s ideas.

In recent years,  I’ve seen that online comments aren’t always kind to stylists. Many fans of a celebrities are not objective enough to comment on their outfits so we see a lot of extreme compliments or criticism. Without a thorough grasp of the underlying background or narrative behind a set of clothing, some people just want big-name brands and haute couture, which I think is a bad trend. Although the industry is expanding swiftly, the challenge is to figure out how to keep moving forward.

What do you think of China’s KOL industry?

I think the time this business developed the best was between 2016 and 2021, when the entire industry was flourishing. As more individuals flock to the KOL track to seize this opportunity, standing out becomes more challenging. I recommend that young people who want to become influencers first secure a job with a stable income and then give it a try as a hobby. This way, they don’t have to  compete for the public’s attention and can instead focus on producing high-quality content that increases their market value.

Recommended ReadingWhen China’s KOLs Become BrandsBy Gemma A. Williams

What do you think of livestreaming e-commerce? Would you consider joining?

Actually, few fashion KOLs want to sell products via livestreaming since we find it difficult to explicitly ask viewers to place orders like other sellers in the livestreaming room. I think this activity isn’t really in line with our identity.  Instead, I may use my expertise to assist sellers by offering some helpful styling suggestions. Though I understand that livestreaming e-commerce is currently one of the most profitable industries and that many people will jump on this trend, I believe it is still necessary for KOLs to think clearly about their own direction instead of being swept by the current — it’s easy to lose yourself.

Were there any drastic changes in China’s fashion KOL industry after COVID-19?

After the pandemic, many KOLs focused on the domestic market. I must say that the home market is really large and that today’s youth were born at a good time; as long as you work hard on content, you can become a star.

Speaking with many foreign bloggers, I realized that the Chinese market is much better than the global market.  Foreign KOLs must compete with KOLs from all over the world and update very frequently, which necessitates a greater degree of ability. If they’re a little careless, they can be eliminated from this fierce competition. However, I feel that many people in China are not taking advantage of this environment which is a shame.

What kind of KOLs are brands looking to work with?

First, KOLs should be free of any scandals, which is a major concern for many brands since they want the collaboration to receive positive feedback. The KOL’s ability to sell is also an important criterion. This depends on whether they can produce content that captivates the audience and persuades them to pay for their recommended products. 

Now, as fashion brands collaborate more widely, influencers from every field have the opportunity to work with luxury names, including athletes and artists. Ultimately, it’s all about the quality of your content.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

On September 23, Gucci presented its Spring 2023 collection in Milan and livestreamed its show called “Gucci Twinsburg” across China’s social media platforms. In addition to sharing the show’s preludes with local audiences, the Kering label collaborated with brand ambassador Xiao Zhan and Chinese actresses Cecilia Song and Venda Li to send out video invitations on Weibo. Along with the livestreaming, the house hosted a physical screening event in Beijing, inviting local media and fashion KOLs. Guests were seated back-to-back in a mirror effect while watching the screened show, aligning with this season’s concept of “identical twins.”

Meanwhile, the digital-savvy brand kicked off a new approach to livestreaming by tapping Tencent’s Super QQ Show — the tech giant’s latest push into the metaverse. QQ users could opt to tune into the show from their private rooms or at a coastal music plaza on the virtual platform.

The Gucci Twinsburg show on Tencent’s Super QQ Show app. Photo: Super QQ Show Screenshot

The show’s Weibo hashtags #GucciFW2023Show and #GucciTwinsburg racked up over 200 million and 100 million views, respectively, before the show’s livestreaming ⁠— a huge number for a warm-up campaign. The video invitation starring Xiao Zhan drove significant traffic, receiving 12.2 million views within one day. The livestream attracted over 26 million views on Weibo within an hour. In particular, traditional Chinese elements such as frog buttons and slanted plackets featured on several looks impressed Chinese audiences.

Gucci turned to Chinese celebrities Xiao Zhan and Cecilia Song to promote its Gucci Twinsburg show. Photo: Gucci

In the second quarter of 2022, Kering’s mega-brand recorded a 4 percent revenue growth on a comparable basis, which was a slowdown from the prior quarter’s 13 percent. Despite the impact of lockdowns in China during this fiscal period, Gucci has been actively engaging its local customers via online activities. In June, the house announced its collaboration with local media powerhouse Huasheng Media Group to launch a cultural artwork project called “Blooming Shanghai.” 

On the heels of the well-received cultural initiative, Gucci expanded its localization strategy to revamp the distribution of its shows. As livestreaming on social media becomes a normalized tactic among luxury players in post-pandemic China, the veteran is exploring new platforms to expand its reach. Similar to Nintendo’s hit video game series Animal Crossing, Super QQ Show allows users to dress themselves up in virtual fashion pieces and socialize in various scenarios with digital currency gained by topping up cash or completing designated tasks. This program functions as another space for brands to tap into China’s metaverse and lure in the younger generation.

Susan Fang looks delighted. It’s hardly surprising — we’re meeting the day after her London Fashion Week debut. “This feels like a dream,” she gushes while ordering coffee. “I didn’t even believe it had happened until I saw the footage afterwards.” 

Her show was, by all accounts, a standout on the schedule. Staged at a 1930s leisure center in Soho, the set (which she art-directed herself) featured giant bespoke inflatables, what she calls her “peace bubbles,” in signature marble prints which floated atop the covered pool. Lifeguards patrolled in logoed tees making sure guests were safe as they navigated the perimeter to find their seats. It made the perfect setting to see models in gauze-dresses so light they bounced and rippled like water. 

Susan Fang showcases her skilful use of gauze in her Spring/Summer 2023 collection “Air Light.” Photo: Courtesy

In Fang’s skillful hands, fabrics do new things. Through the simple acts of tacking, weaving or beading, she creates movement and volume on the runway. She gives these techniques names like “air flowers” and “nuance silks.” Alongside such aesthetic concerns lies a dedicated business strategy. In our conversation, she regularly darts between the passion of an artist and the realpolitik of an entrepreneur. 

Her career-defining bubble bag, for instance, is contextualized within a change in material conditions. “In China, everyone uses WeChat pay, so this means they carry less in the handbags and can use them more like jewelry.” This astute observation resulted in the production of a childlike accessory that is now synonymous with her label, and helped her secure a list of stockists that once included London’s Browns and Selfridges. 

Of course, this is not her first rodeo in the city. Back when, in her words, “the world was a different place” (i.e. four years ago), she was featured on Fashion Scout’s One to Watch platform. A graduate of Central Saint Martins, Fang was eager to return to London once  COVID-19 permitted and has been here since July in preparation for the event. This involved waking up at the grueling time of 3 a.m. daily to catch up with the mainland — and most importantly of all, her mum.

It’s Fang senior who does everything from managing production to creating the marbled prints on water. “I feel like I’m living my childhood again,” she laughs as I imagine her painting on water and hand-beading accessories. If it sounds twee, well, that’s because it is. But what’s so special about Susan is the wide-eyed authenticity she brings to her craft. Where else would you see, let alone hear of, a giant plastic ball called a “peace bubble full with good wishes”?

Susan Fang’s LFW set featured giant bespoke inflatable balls.  Photo: Courtesy

According to influencer platform Lefty , her quirky inflatables produced results. Bolstered by the support of influencers and KOLs, the London outing bumped her up to a top 10 brand ranking on Weibo with an EMV of $145,000 (1.2 million RMB). Chinese influencer Youjin Cui, who was at the show, explained that despite Fang’s early days in the industry, anticipation was quite high for this season. “After a few showcases at Shanghai Fashion Week and the collaboration with Zara, Susan now has a big name in the Chinese fashion industry.” 

Expectations have been fueled by these collaborations, which have been key to her (and many of her contemporaries’) successes and have helped to commercialize her zero-waste brand (“they pay very well,” she discloses). These have run from local ones such as with Chinese fashion label Peacebird and phone brand Oppo to Fujifilm. Crocs sponsored her runway footwear and she has more in the offing too, including Uggs; more are currently in discussion including one with a luxury name. 

Recommended ReadingWhy the Peacebird x Susan Fang Collaboration WorksBy Emma Li

Still, from talking to Fang, it feels like her whimsical designs are a deflection of her personal anxieties — everything from loss to the post-pandemic environment to a looming world war. In fact, despite her positivity, she is by her admission a pessimist. “Because I’ve moved so much, I’m constantly having a fear of saying goodbye to people, but all that time it was my mum who supported me. For me that strength is the light.” (Her collection is called Air Light.)

Given that Fang has moved so much, she’s acutely aware of being an outsider. But it’s precisely this kaleidoscope blend of cultures and ideas that allows her to be, as influencer and creative director of Møy Atelier Betty Bachz says, “such a breath of fresh air as a designer.” 

So Fang is resolutely upbeat post-show and confident about re-energizing her stocklist, some of which fell away during the pandemic era because of complications from COVID-19 or the “difficulties of doing orders over Zoom.” More importantly, she is confident that she’s in this on her own terms. 

“For me it’s not about selling or being commercial, it’s longer. I want to build a business step by step. Perfume, even furniture. My mum says, Susan, do things that are fun.” And for now anyway, it sure seems like she’s doing just that. 

China’s consumers born before 1997 are an increasingly powerful cohort of luxury spenders. It’s a demographic that views brands as lifestyle platforms, providing experiences, activations, and collaborations beyond their primary product offering. For retail, it’s crucial to understand what makes Chinese Gen Z tick.

The upsurge of concept stores breaking boundaries in China’s retail landscape – such as ENG Concept, CanalStreet坚尼街, Das Lab, and CLAP — proves that classic multi-brand stores with indulgent architectural interiors are just not enough to grab attention.

With two physical stores in Shanghai and a third in Hangzhou’s IN77, ENG Concept is one name spearheading disruptive retail in the mainland. Stocking indie fashion favorites such as Aries, Casablanca, Misbhv, Rui and Martine Rose, alongside esteemed tastemakers Helmut Lang, Eckhaus Latta and Mugler, it serves a selection that encapsulates the taste of fashion-forward Gen Z. 

Spring 2021 saw ENG promote Mugler’s Spring 2021 collection, throwing a preview party for the brand’s Chinese consumers. The innovative retail space also hosted an art exhibition at the store’s official opening in 2019, unveiling it with an in-store party featuring a live performance by British rapper Lancey Foux.

The co-founders of A.Society say collaboration is key for a Gen Z-led brand. Photo: A.Society

From pop-up exhibitions to star-studded parties, Gen Z wants more from retail than just photogenic settings and good customer service. It’s all about tapping into the subcultures that derive from fashion and contributing to their growth. 

To figure out how to drive China’s youth to stores, Jing Daily spoke to ENG Concept founder Sherry Huang, and co-founders of artistically alternative Chinese sunglasses brand A.Society , Kenny Kowk, Victor Chu, and Dee Lam.

There’s currently a lack of retailers snapping up independent labels in China, but they’re the Instagram generation’s trendsetters. At London Fashion Week 2023 , independent designers such as Dilara Findikoglu and Richard Quinn were the best at capturing the attention of Chinese netizens, despite neither even being stocked in the mainland.

Kwok, the co-founder of A.Society, said that it’s small, independent labels which truly entice China’s young shoppers. “The new generation appreciates storytelling reinforced by craftsmanship and strong brand values,” he said.

For ENG Concept, that has been one of its major unique selling points. As Huang explained, “Considering the amount of retail businesses opening in China and their fast development, I think proposing something exclusive or different from the regular offer existing on the market is more than crucial.

“Chinese consumers get bored really fast so we have to constantly propose something that is attractive and yet different, that’s how we have accumulated such a big crowd since our opening.”

Recommended ReadingChinese Designer Collaborations Are A Must For Global BrandsBy Jing Daily

According to A.Society’s team, young Chinese consumers are developing a bigger interest in pre-loved garments. “Chinese consumers are expanding their knowledge of streetwear, including the growing popularity of vintage clothing that is actively shared through Xiaohongshu,” said Kowk.

The co-founder noted that China is seeing a revival of classic and retro styles which reinforces nostalgic aesthetics and Chinese heritage. Kowk added that the decline of the sneaker market is potentially even down to “major fashion brands constantly introducing new drops to bring freshness to everyone’s wardrobes” — according to him, that’s not necessarily of Gen Z taste. In with the old, out with the new.

Stores releasing collaborative collections isn’t revolutionary, yet it’s the expansion of artistic collaboration and experiential offerings that is making retailers stand out right now. For A.Society, collaboration is a crucial part of its youth-focused strategy. As Lam told Jing Daily, “From art and fashion to music, we would like to tap into the minds of like-minded visionaries to create designs that reflect what the new generation desires.”

Partnering with artists for exhibitions or C-pop stars for events is a way of presenting the subculture identity of a store. As ENG’s Huang said, “It’s not just about proposing something different but also to educate our audience on the products that we propose in the store. We’re not just selling garments, but also the image that goes with it.”

Damon agrees that collaboration should not be limited to capsules and other clothing lines. Instead, it’s about working with talent that can attract art or fashion fanbases in order to gain the attention of a desired target consumer. 

A shot from inside ENG Concept’s artistically avant-garde retail space. Photo: ENG Concept

What Happened: China recently released its official October 1 National Day schedule. Commonly referred to as the “seven-day long break” 七天长假, this year’s holiday will start on Saturday, October 1 and last until Friday, October 7. However, many netizens are taking issue with the fact that the ensuing weekend, October 8 and 9, are workdays, meaning that the holiday is immediately followed by a seven-day work week. 

On Weibo, the hashtag “can we do without the rescheduling” 可不可以不调休, referring to the cancelation of the weekend of October 8, has garnered 430 million views, placing it at the top of the platform’s trending topic list on September 21. The prevailing complaint is that the supposedly seven-day break only has three actual extra days off, with the other four being de facto weekends. The other major concern is that the unusually long work week will bring excessive stress, shadowing the public’s excitement for the holiday.  

The Jing Take: The frustration of Chinese netizens reflects the substantial sense of fatigue accumulated through the demanding modern urban lifestyle, exacerbated by mobility restrictions and unpredictable lockdowns this year. Online comments show that the Chinese public is very sensitive toward any perceived additional burden: previous National Day holiday weeks were also rescheduled, with two extra work days added from the weekends. The difference is that this year, the two days are lumped together, whereas in the past they were spread out across two to three weeks. 

The psychological impact that this seemingly-minor change has is notable. The rescheduling, together with urges from multiple locations to avoid traveling and large gatherings, is causing many to lose interest in making plans. A comment that received 2,300 likes asks what is the point of the break when people are asked to stay put and work seven days afterward, while a trending post that received over 50,000 likes calls the authorities to focus more on curbing China’s toxic “ 996 ” work culture instead of tampering with the holiday schedule. 

Recommended ReadingChina’s ‘996’ Backlash Continues with ‘Worker Lives Matter’ CampaignBy Julienna Law

Luxury brands can learn two things from the rescheduling saga. The first is that they should not have high expectations of travel retail performance during the upcoming holiday. On the verge of the pivotal 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, the government has zero tolerance for potential COVID outbreaks caused by rebounding travels. The second is that Chinese urban dwellers yearn for stress relief more than ever. Going forward, luxury houses should explore what new products and events can offer needed respite from their daily hustle and bustle.

The Jing Take  reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media

What Happened: Recently, the addictive tile matching mini-game Sheep A Sheep (羊了个羊) has become an overnight sensation in China, boasting over 60 million players daily. In fact, the excessive amount of users has caused startup Jianyou Technology’s viral passthrough game to crash several times already. 

The hit game has only three levels, however, it has become well known for its “hard fun.” The seemingly intuitive gameplay — which demands users find three identical tiles and eliminate them until all are cleared — has an extremely testing second level. Data shows that only 0.1 percent of its millions of players have scraped through. The high difficulty has lured many to the challenge, resulting in the upstart’s meteoric success.

The seemingly intuitive gameplay — which demands users find three identical tiles and eliminate them until all are cleared — has an extremely testing second level. Photo: Screenshot

The Jing Take: Such programs are rapidly gaining popularity in the mainland market. According to Tencent’s data , WeChat mini-games achieved more than 30 percent of commercial growth in 2021. Given the popularity, there are so far more than 100,000 developers in the country — making this a highly competitive sector. 

Yet the virality of Sheep A Sheep is no coincidence. Many young netizens have expressed how the “hard fun” of the game is highly addictive, with some of them staying up all night to (try to) pass the second level. When asked what made them so eager to win, the shared answer was “regional pride.” 

The new app shrewdly categorizes players by region, creating a strong sense of belonging and competition. Photo: Screenshot

The new app shrewdly categorizes players by region, creating a strong sense of belonging and competition. Currently, Guangdong team claims the top spot, followed by Sichuan. The success of this indicates the importance of a localized strategy. Alongside this, the game capitalizes on organic private traffic. It offers in-game aids to users in exchange for shares on the messaging app WeChat.

As luxury houses venture into the mini-game sector to entertain existing and potential young consumers, Sheep A Sheep presents a textbook success story from which to learn. The name of the game? Think local, maximize reach. 

The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

Jing Daily’s latest market report, Big in China: Brand Collaboration, is an essential guide for brands to plan, execute, and promote successful, revenue-generating collaborations in the China market. Download your copy today on our Reports page.

Recent years have seen a number of fashion brands tapping emerging and established Chinese designers for special collections or products. For brands, the benefits of leveraging these individuals are twofold. First, the ability to entice new consumer bases, for some popular designers, can equate to millions of social media followers. Second, established global brands can tap young and fashion-savvy audiences while domestic Chinese brands can instantly burnish their design and quality credentials.

In many cases, international brands are partnering with Chinese designers that are educated and/or based in western countries, who offer (and often heavily promote) an “East Meets West” design aesthetic. One Chinese designer who is one of the most prolific brand collaborators is Shenzhen-born, Central Saint Martins-educated Angel Chen, who after founding her eponymous designer brand in 2014 has collaborated with names such as H&M, Adidas Originals, M.A.C, Urban Outfitters, and Canada Goose.

In January 2022, Chen teamed up with Japanese beauty powerhouse Shiseido to launch special-edition packaging of the brand’s Ultimune, Vital Perfection, and Future Solution serums. As Juliette Duveau, founder of marketing consultancy the Chinese Pulse, noted of the collaboration, Shiseido aimed “to connect to Chinese contemporary creativity, and position itself to be more ‘fashionably trendy’” by working with Chen, adding that the brand was “looking to get closer to China’s Gen Z and the local creative communities.”

Despite a relatively low-key marketing rollout that consisted of just eight organic posts on Weibo, the campaign reached an estimated 3 million users, with two items selling out in rapid succession and the others low in stock within days of the launch.

One reason major brands are turning to Chinese designers is for their ability to influence younger Chinese millennial and Gen Z consumers, two demographics that have proven interested in global luxury as well as local Guochao (“national trend”) products and brands. Incorporating traditional design and cultural cues, guochao exemplifies the nationalist streak that motivates Chinese consumer purchases – and brands have taken note.

Working with (often, but not always, internationally trained) Chinese designers is also a way to bridge global markets, infusing a design sensibility that often proves as attractive to Chinese consumers as it does to consumers in North America and Europe.

In April and November 2021, American footwear brand UGG tapped another London-based Chinese brand, Feng Chen Wang, to put its spin on two collections reimagining UGG’s Classic Boot and Fluff Sandal silhouettes. As UGG President Andrea O’Donnell said of the collaboration, “Fengchen Wang is known for her thought-provoking take on deconstruction,” adding that Wang “reinterpreted [UGG’s] iconic Classic boot so that it can be worn throughout the year on the streets of Shanghai and the beaches in California.”

UGG x Feng Chen Wang. Photo: UGG

UGG’s collaboration with the brand was a social media success in China, driving 271,855 total engagements across Weibo, WeChat, and Xiaohongshu across 149 days — a relative eternity for a brand campaign in China — according to ReHub data. For reference, ReHub found that the Gucci x Marsper campaign of December 2021 saw engagement dry up after just nine days.

Wang has proven arguably the most popular Chinese designer for brand collaborations, racking up a number of high-profile partnerships with the likes of Converse, Levi’s, Nike Lab, Air Jordan, the Beijing Olympics, and Italian vehicle manufacturer Piaggio. But what exactly is it about this particular designer that has made her such a popular collaborator?

The e-scooter by Piaggio and Feng Chen Wang takes inspiration from China’s natural landscapes and traditional brushstroke technique. Photo: Piaggio x Feng Chen Wang

Her diverse array of collaborations points to her multidisciplinary design focus, which includes — but is not limited to — fashion. As Wang points out, “I’ve never thought of myself as solely a fashion designer, and I think in the future that Feng Chen Wang won’t just be a clothing brand, [either]. That’s one of the reasons why I collaborate with so many interesting and different brands, including some which are more lifestyle. In my design philosophy, design should be diversified and should be a part of art.”

The label’s design DNA — which typically includes Chinese design references but with clear international appeal — also reflects the type of sensibility preferred by global brands when launching a collaboration that may have one eye towards China but another towards other major global markets. Wang’s collaboration with Piaggio on the manufacturer’s first e-scooter, for example, featured a Chinese painting-inspired colorway that would be instantly recognized by Chinese consumers but could simply appear as an abstract pattern elsewhere.

Get your copy of Big in China: Brand Collaboration on our Reports page.

© 2022 Herlar, LLC. All rights reserved. Jing Daily® is a registered U.S. trademark of Herlar, LLC.

Sign up for our daily newsletter to unpack the business of luxury in China. Gain insights, analysis, and breaking news from our on-the-ground reporters.

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.