In “Chinese Whispers,” we share the biggest news stories about China’s fast-moving luxury industry that have yet to make it into English.
In this week’s edition, we discuss:
- Shawn Yue, Yang Mi, and Lu Han‘s top celebrity commercial value rankings
- An interview with the Chinese maker of the viral “Amazon Coat”
- Tom Ford Beauty’s first foray into the Chinese e-commerce market
Hong Kong actor Shawn Yue (余文乐), who is the brand ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger in China, had the largest influence on consumer purchases in the fourth quarter of 2018. Photo: LadyMax
1. Report Ranks Chinese Celebrities’ Commercial Value — LadyMax
Hong Kong actor Shawn Yue (余文乐), who is the brand ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger in China, had the largest influence on consumer purchases in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to a new report co-released by the data intelligence firm CBNData and Alibaba Group. Actress Yang Mi (杨幂), who has worked closely with Michael Kors, Estée Lauder, and Stuart Weitzman, took second place, followed by singer Lu Han (鹿晗), who has collaborated with a slew of luxury brands from Louis Vuitton and Cartier to Piaget.
A “Made in China” winter coat by the Chinese fashion brand Orolay has become the hottest-selling item on Amazon this winter. Courtesy photo
2. “Amazon Coat” maker says business got a huge boost in January – luxe.co
A “Made in China” winter coat (priced at $129.99) by the Chinese fashion brand Orolay has become the hottest-selling item on Amazon this winter, going viral on social media and headlining mainstream news outlets.
In an exclusive interview with the Chinese fashion outlet luxe.co, Orolay’s Chinese CEO Qiu Jiawei said that the company’s revenue in January had reached $1 million for the first time—a huge jump from the brand’s full-year sales in 2017. He also estimated Orolay’s full-year sales in 2019 at approximately $30 to $40 million.
Tom Ford will launch a flagship store on Alibaba’s Tmall platform in early March. Courtesy photo
3. Tom Ford Beauty to open a flagship store on Alibaba’s Tmall marketplace – Eastmoney
Seeing huge demand from Chinese beauty consumers, premium American brand Tom Ford announced that it would set up a flagship store on Alibaba’s Tmall platform in early March. The move is the brand’s latest effort to increase its presence in the Chinese market after debuting a boutique store in Shanghai last November. The new Tmall store will sell a range of Tom Ford beauty products, from lipsticks and fragrances to beauty gift sets.
