2023 September Industry Insights & Best Practices
In September, top luxury brands focused on the following key themes: Mid-Autumn and National Day Festivals Ignited Spending Splurge, and Luxury Brands Customized Designs for Concerts.
Overview
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The Top 3 best-performing brands in September were GUCCI, Dior, and Louis Vuitton.
GUCCI regained the top position with Ancora Fashion Show, showcasing the debut of the newly appointed Creative Director, Sabato De Sarno, and enlisted the support of numerous celebrities, including Chris Lee, Xiao Zhan, Lu Han, and Ni Ni.
Dior gained significant engagement by unveiling the SS24 Ready-to-Wear Runway Show. The brand also unveiled its new pieces in the ROSE CÉLESTE collection, featuring China Brand Ambassador Liu Yuxin.
Louis Vuitton FW23 collection and SS24 men’s collection have been showcased on Weibo Music Awards. Additionally, the brand captivated audiences with the release of two remarkable travel vlogs, featuring football player Zhao Lina and House Ambassador Dylan Wang.
Bally, Prada, LOEWE, Ralph Lauren, VERSACE, and Fendi attracted attention through the SS24 show, while MaxMara launched the Teddy Bear Icon Coat Tenth Anniversary.
Luxury Industry Trends
Mid-Autumn and National Day Festivals Ignited Spending Splurge
The domestic tourism market has recovered to the level of 2019, with Hainan's duty-free zone continuing to perform well. During the 2023 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, there was a significant year-on-year increase in the number of domestic tourists.
Outbound tourism has also shown rapid growth, although it has not fully returned to the level of 2019. However, this trend is expected to inject vitality into the overseas consumer goods market.
During the Mid-autumn and National Day holidays of 2023 (29th Sep – 6th Oct)
References: 1,3 China Tourism Academy; 2 National Immigration Administration; 4 Haikou Customs
Leveraging the Mid-Autumn Festival to Enhancing Cultural Localization
Luxury brands leverage the Mid-Autumn Festival, a culturally significant event in China, as a way of localization to honor traditions, strengthen brand loyalty, enhance brand image, and foster closer relationships with local customers. As part of their efforts, luxury brands often offer gift boxes to VIP customers and important partners. Similarly, luxury hotels provide high-end mooncake gift boxes as an exquisite gift option during this festival.
Embracing Chinese Culture: Luxury Brands’ Exquisite Mid-Autumn Gift Boxes
Brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Hermès have thoughtfully incorporated traditional Chinese elements into their brand DNA, resulting in Mid-Autumn Gift Boxes that exude authenticity and exquisite craftsmanship, which reflects the brands’ strong commitment to embracing Chinese culture and resonating with local customers.
Blend of Chinese Tradition and Global Flavors: Luxury Hotels' Mooncake Gift Boxes
Luxury hotels like Aman and Ritz-Carlton have introduced exquisite mooncake gift boxes that artfully blend Chinese traditional culture with international flavors. These meticulously crafted offerings not only pay homage to local customs but also serve as a strategic approach to increase brand awareness within the local market.
Captivating Chinese Consumers during Golden Week's
During the Golden Week holiday, both domestic and international shopping villages, hotels, airlines, and even cities like Abu Dhabi are actively organizing events to attract Chinese consumers.
During the holiday season, Bicester Village Suzhou and Bicester Village Shanghai partnered with major luxury brands to offer enticing discounts, aiming to attract tourists and boost shopping consumption. Remarkably, on October 1st, Bicester Village Suzhou achieved its highest single-day sales record since its opening1.
Abu Dhabi has demonstrated a strong commitment to attracting affluent Chinese tourists, exemplified by the recent appointment of actress Liu Yifei as the tourism ambassador.
Luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi went the extra mile with Rosewood Abu Dhabi offering up to 25% discounts on guest rooms, and Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental launching promotions lasting until the end of the year.
On September 25th, the day of the official appointment announcement:
References: 1 Suzhou Publish; 2 Dao Insight: Chinese actress becomes tourism ambassador for Abu Dhabi
Luxury Brands Customized Designs for Concerts
In August and September, luxury brands like Dior, Armani, Christian Louboutin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Off-White provided specially tailored garments and accessories for celebrity concerts, reaffirming their strong commitment to brand excellence. These star-studded performances serve as a prime opportunity for luxury brands to deepen their presence in the Chinese market by providing high-quality fashion offerings within this influential environment.
CURIOSITY SPOTLIGHT
Interests in concerts have experienced explosive growth since the resurgence of consumer spending this year. In a bid to tap into the influential youth market and broaden their consumer base, luxury brands have stepped into the realm of concerts.
Immense Influence: Luxury brands strategically capitalize on celebrities' substantial influence by creating unique customizations, generating a short-term buzz and effectively leveraging this surge in traffic.
Penetrating Consumer Base: Concerts offer a unique blend of entertainment, gathering, and cultural significance, making them ideal arenas for luxury brands to engage with diverse communities. By strategically aligning with these events, luxury brands not only deepen their brand identity but also foster positive consumer experiences and cultivate long-lasting loyalty.
*Source: Dior Official Weibo Account
Dior
Starting in August, Dior has specially tailored multiple sets of performance outfits exclusively for Liu Yuxin's 2023 "Xianadu" concert tour. These outfits include pure white ensembles that exude elegance and nobility, black ensembles that embody sensual tension, and red ensembles that radiate fiery charisma.
*Source: Armani Official Weibo Account
Armani
During the TFBOYS' 10th-anniversary concert, Jackson Yee stole the show in a specially tailored Emporio Armani black shirt, exuding sleek sophistication. He further captivated the audience with a striking, fiery red crystal suit that showcased his unique style and sizzling charisma.
*Source: Christian Louboutin Official Weibo Account
Christian Louboutin
On the TFBOYS‘ 10th-anniversary concert, Christian Louboutin presents exclusive custom designs for brand ambassador Karry WANG, such as the Motok Strass ankle boots and Cheney Walk Strass ankle boots, showcasing the brand's signature style.
*Source: Jaeger-LeCoultre Official Weibo Account
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Jackson Yee, the global ambassador of Jaeger-LeCoultre, adorns the specially customized REVERSO TRIBUTE SMALL SECONDS watch as he attends the TFBOYS' 10th-anniversary concert. This exquisite timepiece showcases the brand's craftsmanship.
*Source: Off-White Official Weibo Account
Off-White
Off-White™ presents an exclusive custom collection of "Out Of Office" sneakers, with each pair uniquely designed to match the supportive colors of the three TFBOYS members.
Campaign Best Practices
Valentino x Sleep No More Immersive Performance
OVERVIEW
On September 12th, Valentino once again collaborated with the Shanghai edition of "Sleep No More" to present a mesmerizing immersive performance titled "BLACK TIE" at The McKinnon Hotel in Shanghai. Inspired by Valentino's AW23 BLACK TIE collection, this story unfolds with dancers taking center stage instead of models, offering viewers a closer and more immersive experience to showcase the latest collection.
This collaboration marks Valentino's third engagement as the exclusive fashion partner of "Sleep No More," following their initial partnership in September 2021. Notably, this special performance was made accessible to the public for the first time, and tickets sold out within a remarkable 4 minutes after their release on September 4th, capturing widespread market attention.
*Source: Valentino Official Weibo Account
On the day of the show, esteemed actress Mei Ting and actor-singer Li Yunrui graced the performance with their presence, personally immersing themselves in its captivating atmosphere. Moreover, the Valentino "BLACK TIE" immersive performance extended a warm invitation to VIC customers, offering them the opportunity to partake in and savor the show.
CURIOSITY SPOTLIGHT
Enduring cultural engagement. Despite pandemic challenges, Valentino’s prescient decision to collaborate with “Sleep No More” in 2021 positioned them as trailblazers in experiential luxury. Since its 2011 New York premiere, Sleep No More has garnered immense acclaim. It recently achieved milestone of 1600 performance in Shanghai. Through multiple collaborations, Valentino aims to expand beyond artistic boundaries of fashion and enrich the brand‘s cultural development. The collaboration with Sleep No More has not only delivered high-quality performances but also garnered significant attention.
Breaking the distance of typical runway shows. Valentino redefined the connection between audiences and fashion. By breaking free from the confines of rigid viewing distances, Valentino creates an intimate encounter with immersive theatre. Through a theatrical approach that encompasses both settings and content, Valentino provides a more vivid and profound interpretation of its new product design concepts.
*Source: Valentino Official Red & Weibo Account
Exclusive scarcity strategy. Valentino's collaboration with "Sleep No More" stands out as an exemplary case of captivating VIC clients. Although limited theatre capacity prevented the performance from reaching a broad audience, it left an indelible impression on the select few who were able to participate, enabling Valentino to craft a special performance that exuded exclusivity. By extending exclusive invitations to VIC clients for this unique viewing opportunity, Valentino achieved resounding success in captivating their target audience.
CHAUMET “Tiara Dream” Exhibition in Shanghai
OVERVIEW
On 13 September 2023, CHAUMET, the Parisian jewelry house and "Master of Tiaras", unveiled "Tiara Dream", an immersive and interactive exhibition at the Shanghai North Bund Hong Kong Space Art Center, opening to the public from 17 September to 15 October.
The exhibition showcases a selection of antique and contemporary tiaras that highlight Chaumet’s reputation as the "Master of Tiaras", spanning 210 years of creation including masterpieces coming to China for the first time. The exhibition incorporates the original hand-drawn manuscripts, black-and-white films, and photographs from the collection. In addition, contemporary display installations and interactive methods are also used to bring the legend of glory that began in Paris to Shanghai.
In additional to the exhibition hall, there is also a "CHAUMET Café Gallery", where visitors can have a better understanding of Chaumet with a special coronation-themed coffee, alongside Chaumet publications and magazines documenting the legendary story.
*Source: CHAUMET Official WeChar Account
CURIOSITY SPOTLIGHT
*Source: CHAUMET Exhibition Official WeChar Mini-P
In addition to the exquisite offline set installations and exhibits, the Tiara Dream exhibition also builds a smooth digital appreciation experience, comprehensively utilizing various digital tools such as the Digital Tool, interactive AR, and photo devices to create a multi-sensory, interactive, and shareable immersive viewing experience.
Mini-P Online Exhibition
Visitors can choose to view the exhibition online to enjoy Chaumet’s splendor by accessing the official Mini-P. The immersive exhibition begins with a voice guide from brand spokesperson Gao Yuanyuan, and visitors can explore six thematic exhibition halls online, view Chaumet’s dazzling treasures, and experience interactive games such as crown trying-on. Interactive quizzes and viewing sessions are available in each hall. Visitors who answer the quizzes correctly will collect virtual jewels and create their own online tiara in the Creative Workshop hall.
Holographic technology
Chaumet leveraged Holographic technology and recreated the lost Yusupov Diamond Sunburst Tiara’s former glory and showcased its magnificence during the exhibition.
Virtual Try-On
Visitors can find their favorite tiara, use an interactive photo-taking device to virtually try on their preferred tiara, and save the photos they take. Visitors can also pick up a range of nickel-silver tiara molds and experience the crowning moment directly in person.
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