What happened
Luxury establishments have been busy mounting their runway shows this month in China.
On July 20, Bottega Veneta staged its Winter 2023 show at the Red Brick Art Museum in Beijing, the first time the Italian house had presented a physical show in China. Opened and closed by renowned Chinese models Liu Wen and Du Juan, respectively, the runway brought the season’s collection, which debuted in Milan in February, to Chinese audiences.
Celebrities including Stefanie Sun, Angelababy, Jing Boran, Zhou Yutong, Mika, Qu Chuxiao, and Jiang Qiming sat in the front row. Creative director Matthieu Blazy took a bow at the end of the show, impressing attendees and online audiences. The show’s livestream on Weibo racked up over 34 million views within one day, while the hashtag “BV Beijing Fashion Show” amassed over 180 million views within five days.
The Jing Take
Hosting spectacular repeat shows has become a well-established strategy for luxury houses to resonate with different cultures and customers. Though the tactic is not new, Bottega Veneta leveraged it with a smart twist.
Before the big day on July 20, Blazy posted a personal photo shot in front of The Palace Museum in Beijing in 1998 on his Instagram account, which sparked online buzz on social platforms like Xiaohongshu. In addition to making announcements and disclosing details about the show, the teaser appealed to netizens via a personal narrative.
Whether it was Blazy’s presence, his bond with Beijing, or the selection of the show’s location, these efforts have consolidated Bottega Veneta’s cultural relevance with China and showcased its commitment to the market.
In Kering’s investor presentation for Q1 2023, the group disclosed that Bottega Veneta’s Winter 2023 show proved to be instantly successful and that the house’s priority was improving its brand visibility in China. With the conclusion of the Kering-owned fashion house’s first show in China, it reached a critical milestone in its global expansion plan.
Since Bottega Veneta appointed Blazy to take the creative helm in 2021, the house has followed a value-driven strategy to achieve organic growth.
As Blazy notes in the show statement, “The truest luxury is to be yourself.” The Italian brand’s trajectory balances its long-term dedication to culture, quality, and craftsmanship, while embracing a broader audience — an approach that seems to resonate with consumers in China.
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.