When young Stephen Yuan from Shanghai met Alexander McQueen at the late British design icon’s London office, he was asked what he did at weekends. Yuan’s answers was not particularly inspired. “I said, ‘The pub, Soho or going to see films with friends,’” he tells me as we sit in an Italian cafe on Wukang…
Global Luxury Retailers Gear Up For Chinese New Year Shoppers
The Chinese New Year pop-up shop at Bloomingdale’s in New York City. (Bloomingdales) High-end stores from New York’s Fifth Avenue to London’s Bond Street and beyond are marking the year of the horse by hiring Mandarin-speaking staff, offering Chinese-themed merchandise, and featuring cultural presentations—all to attract the world’s largest luxury spenders during China’s biggest festival,…
Lane Crawford Reveals Details Of Shanghai Flagship Opening
A Lane Crawford February 2013 campaign image featuring Givenchy. (Lane Crawford) As a part of Hong Kong department store Lane Crawford’s steady mainland expansion, it has released more details about its slated Shanghai flagship opening in September in a press release sent today. At 150,000 square feet, the Shanghai flagship will be the company’s largest…
Santoni CEO Giuseppe Santoni Tells Why Now is the Time for Artisanal Shoes in China
SantonI CEO Giuseppe Santoni. (Courtesy Photo) Created by founder Andrea Santoni in 1975, Italian footwear brand Santoni has been promoting the cultural heritage of Italian craftsmanship for 40 years. Since its founding, the family brand has grown on an international landscape with approximately 490 employees and a turnover rate of more than 55 million euros….
The Webster Pop-Up Brings Miami Fever to China
U.S. multi-brand fashion house The Webster is collaborating with luxury department store Lane Crawford to shower Greater China with Miami vibes in time for summer. A cocktail event in Shanghai on Friday celebrated the launch of The Webster’s pop-up shop at Lane Crawford, offering VIP guests the chance to peruse a curated selection of South Beach-inspired…
London Fashion Week: Chinese Designer Highlights
London Fashion Week’s Fall/Winter 2017 presentations and runway shows saw the largest bursts yet of China’s boldest and brightest fashion designers and brands. They featured both on and off schedule, as well as in the showrooms. Below is a rundown of the Chinese designer highlights during the week, which concluded on February 26. The opening…
From ‘About’ China to ‘For’ China: Met’s New Fashion Exhibit Marks End of Orientalist Era for Western Designers
A China-exclusive dress created by Valentino and presented in Shanghai in 2013 that will be on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s “China: Through the Looking Glass” Exhibit. (Metropolitan Museum of Art) An opulent purple Jean-Paul Gaultier silk-satin sheath that references the stereotype of “Asian women having mysterious powers of sexual mastery.”…
Chinese Consumers Change the Face of Swiss Watch Sales
Swiss watch brands with more mid-range models like Longines are faring better than ultra-luxury brands in the China market. (Courtesy Photo) This article was published earlier in our weekly newsletter. To gain early access to future posts, sign up through our “Newsletter Sign Up” box on the right. With Swiss watch exports to China in…
DFS Aims To Attract Chic Chinese Travelers With Upscale Rebrand
The new T Galleria by DFS logo, unveiled in Hawaii on September 7, 2013. (DFS) At a time when jet-setting Chinese luxury shoppers are becoming increasingly discerning and sophisticated, the world’s largest retailer to Chinese consumers outside China unveiled an updated rebrand last Saturday as part of its ongoing investment in high-end brand positioning. Hong…
London Fashion Week Chinese Designer Spotlight: Lulu Liu
Lulu Liu’s Spring/Summer 2016 runway show at London Fashion Week. (Courtesy Photo) No stranger to the fashion design spotlight, China-born, British citizen Lulu Liu showcased her ninth consecutive runway collection during London Fashion Week on September 19. Since her departure from China to enroll at the prestigious London College of Fashion in 2008 and subsequent…