Amy Weng

In China, as birth rates hit historic lows, spending per birth continues to rise in the luxury segment. The most obvious evidence: entire floors of prestigious hotels like the Four Seasons are being rented out to provide 24-hour nursing care, postpartum fitness programs, and private chef services. This is a reinvention of an ancient Chinese tradition (zuo yuezi), which is now spreading to the West.

In China, influencers with millions of followers have seen their accounts deleted overnight for flaunting their wealth. Beyond the authorities’ crackdown, this sudden halt reveals a deeper shift: amongst affluent consumers, the display of wealth is giving way to discretion, and luxury is moving from public spaces into the private sphere.

More independent, more educated, and more selective. Chinese women have become one of the most consequential consumer forces in global luxury. Who are they? How are they changing China’s perception of this industry? An in-depth exploration of this Chinese economy gradually being dominated by women.

As births fall and households shrink, China’s pets are inheriting the spending and the emotional role once held by children. The world’s luxury houses are following the money.

The Chinese personal luxury market has contracted for two consecutive years. However, the brands that managed to grow in this environment were not European. From Mao Geping to Songmont, and from Laopu to ICICLE, Chinese luxury brands have successfully developed a different strategic model.

This spring a Chinese TV actor went viral for playing a battle-worn general in flawless makeup. The argument that followed maps the logic of China’s male beauty economy, and the blind spots European luxury brings to it.

In the luxury market, flagship stores in China now compete with museums, restaurants, and other cultural events to capture consumers’ attention for a few hours. However, the brands that win this battle do not follow European conventions.