The China Luxury Briefing is a weekly newsletter from The Luxury Conversation. You’ll receive a weekly bulletin of latest China luxury news across different sectors. Below you’ll find a monthly roundup including updates from each of the weekly briefings during the month. To ensure you’re receiving all of the latest China luxury updates, make sure to sign up for the weekly newsletter here.
FASHION
Angelababy becomes Roger Vivier spokesperson
Roger Vivier announced Angelababy (杨颖) as its spokesperson. Angelababy is an actress with more than 100 million followers on Weibo.
Alexander Wang takes on two Chinese investors
The Youngor Group, a Chinese textile and apparel enterprise, and Challenjers Capital, a Chinese venture capital firm, have acquired minority stakes in Alexander Wang. The investment will be used to expand the New York-based brand’s global footprint.
Valentino Pink PP and Louis Vuitton Men’s Fashion Show to be held in Aranya
Valentino’s Fall 2023 “Pink PP” collection, created with the Pantone Color Institute, will be showed at the popular coastal destination of Aranya. In mid-September, Louis Vuitton will hold a “spin-off” show for its Men’s Spring 2023 collection at Aranya Gold Coast, with livestreams on its official website and social media platforms.
Dior x Meta ZiWU hold the 2023SS RTW show
Dior held its Spring Summer 2023 Ready-to-Wear show on 27 September. The show was launched simultaneously at Meta ZiWU on Baidu’s metaverse social app Xirang (希壤). Dior China team’s avatars attended the launch in the metaverse.
BEAUTY
Estee Lauder Companies’ Tmall Super Brand Week
Estee Lauder Companies cooperated with Tmall on a Tmall Super Brand Week. In late August, seven Estee Lauder Companies brands – Estee Lauder, La Mer, MAC, Tom Ford, Clinique, Bobbi Brown and Dr.Jart+ – jointly launched new products. A limited edition digital collection “Metaverse Beauty” was launched as well that re-created six classic female characters to demonstrate the diversity of female beauty.
L’Oréal acquires a stake in Chinese fragrance brand Documents
L’Oréal‘s Shanghai Meicifang Investment has acquired a minority stake in niche Chinese fragrance brand Documents. Founded in 2021 by former Nudake China CEO Zhaoran Meng, Documents is known for its unique designs and agile marketing strategy targeting Gen Z.
Helena Rubinstein launches new “Beauty Beyond Time” video
To celebrate the brand’s 120th anniversary, Helena Rubinstein invited director Karwai Wong (王家卫) to direct a video around the theme of “Beauty Beyond Time” (时空转瞬 至美永恒) featuring global spokesperson Faye Wong (王菲). Through beautiful moving imagery, the brand aimed to showcase its “Beauty is Power” brand spirit.
Shiseido launches its open innovation program “Fibona” in China for the first time
Shiseido announced the launch of the open innovation program “Fibona”. Collaborating with Plug and Play China, the Fibona program covers medical beauty technology and holistic beauty technology innovation. The program aims to pay special attention to medical aesthetic technology and hopes to create efficient beauty solutions to Chinese consumers’ demands.
HOSPITALITY
Hilton Hotels & Resorts to open four high-end hotels in China
Hilton Hotels & Resorts has announced that it will open Waldorf Astoria Xi’an and Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan. Additionally, in 2023, the group will open Conrad Shenzhen and Conrad Chongqing.
AC Hotel by Marriott to open in Suzhou
Marriott International has recently announced that it will open the first AC Hotel in China. The lifestyle and design focused hotel will be located Suzhou. The official opening is scheduled for December.
Qi Shu becomes Marriott Bonvoy’s brand ambassador in Asia Pacific
Marriott Bonvoy announced Qi Shu (舒淇) as its brand ambassador in Asia Pacific. Shu is a high-profile Chinese actress with more than 40 million Weibo followers.
RETAIL
MixC, SKP and Taikoo Li to open in Guangzhou
Three high-end malls MixC, SKP and Taikoo Li have announced plans to open stores in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. Guangzhou SKP will be the first SKP project in the Southern China region, while Taikoo Li in Julong Bay Area will be the Swire Group’s second high-end commercial project in Guangzhou.
JEWELRY & WATCH
Yiming Su becomes Cartier’s brand best friend
Cartier announced Yiming Su (苏翊鸣) as its brand best friend in mid-September. Su is an Olympic gold medal snowboarder. He has 1.8 million followers on Weibo.
IWC Schaffhausen unveils its Portofino collection exhibition in Qingdao
IWC Schaffhausen held an exhibition of its Portofino collection at Tag Art Museum in Qingdao in early September. The brand best friend Tian Qiu (邱天), actresses Likun Wang (王丽坤), Xiaotong Mao (毛晓彤) and Wanyi Zhang (张晚意) shared their perspectives on the new collection.
CORPORATE
Shanghai Global New Products Debut Season opens
Over 200 global luxury brands and Chinese domestic designer brands are scheduled to launch product debut activities over the period as a part of the annual Double Five Shopping Festival. Various new products, digital services, and new technologies are being showcased at a weeklong exhibition staged at the West Bund Art Center as Shanghai continues its efforts to become a top shopping destination and a consumption hub.
Shanghai Fashion Week kicks off with catwalk show
Shanghai Fashion Week started on 22 September with a Comme Moi catwalk show. With the theme of “Met a Nature,” the spring/summer 2023 edition aims to merge physical fashion scenes with the metaverse. The runway shows will be livestreamed on its official Douyin account, and some of the city’s iconic landmarks will be transformed into “pop-up studios” where the public can discover independent Chinese fashion brands. Ontimeshow, Mode Shanghai, Tube Showroom, Alter, NOT, DaDaShow, and many other trade events will be held during the nine-day week.
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