Arne Eggers on how to sell luxury in Asia

Few London-based executives understand Asia’s luxury landscape quite like Arne Eggers. The German-born communications strategist spent over a decade in Hong Kong, building an intimate knowledge of the region’s fashion and luxury markets — first through media, as Fashion Editor at Tatler Hong Kong, then crossing into international brand communications at Karla Otto, one of the industry’s most prestigious PR and strategy firms. Now managing director and based in London, he oversees the agency’s presence in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Seoul. His client portfolio reads like a roll call of fashion’s most covetable names — and his schedule matches. In March, he wrapped an Asia tour across three cities, logging more than 40 meetings and upwards of 20 lunches and dinners. What sets Eggers apart, beyond the connections and the air miles, is his ability to bring clarity to a complex industry. He moves fluently between cultures, markets and conversations without losing perspective — a quality that, in his line of work, is less a differentiator than a prerequisite. We sat down with Eggers to discuss the evolution of luxury in China, the art of building a brand in Asia, and what the region’s shifting appetites mean for the future of the industry. Jing Daily: After more than a decade in Asia, what do you think global luxury brands still misunderstand most about Chinese consumers? Arne Eggers: I think many global brands still don’t give Chinese consumers the credit they deserve in terms of being very sophisticated and knowledgeable shoppers. After years of “luxury education” — be it via social media, pop-ups and exhibitions, or international travel — many Chinese consumers today have almost encyclopaedic brand knowledge. Consumers in lower-tier cities may still respond well to heritage logo branding, but millennial and Gen Z shoppers in first-tier cities have firmly moved on to more subtle branding, opting for authentic and niche brands with minimal aesthetics, which has contributed to the success of Karla Otto clients like Toteme or Studio Nicholson. Brands that continue to push flashy collaborations risk falling behind — something regular trips to China to see local consumption culture first-hand would help address. JD: How have you seen the definition of “luxury” change over the past five years? AE: The definition of luxury itself has shifted from exclusivity-by-price to exclusivity-by-access or exclusivity-by-knowledge — owning something rare is less impressive than knowing something rare. We are also seeing that consumers have grown fatigued of traditional luxury consumption and are seeking experiences over objects. Rather than buying physical items, like a handbag, dress or watch, they are looking for unique travel or food experiences and are increasingly prepared to invest in health and longevity. We are seeing a boom in high-end retreats, longevity clinics and wellness brands in China, echoing a clear shift towards experiences centred around wellbeing. This trend is reflected at Karla Otto, where Hospitality and Wellness are amongst the fastest growing divisions. Of course, traditional luxury houses have not disappeared. But the smartest among them are adapting — recognizing that their clients may now spend as much on a private wellness retreat as on a handbag. JD: What have been some of your favourite projects in China over the past year, and why do you think they resonated? AE: We recently worked on a fun project with Barbour on the West Bund in Shanghai. Dubbed “Spring with Barbour,” the activation took inspiration from British festivals, incorporating tent structures, beanbags and casual F&B offerings such as a Fish and Chips truck. The activation was highly successful in reframing its traditional waxed outdoor gear for a young, urban audience, gaining over a billion impressions on social media. It resonated because it felt genuinely playful and culturally curious rather than a brand simply showing up — and it got the audience actively involved. JD: What separates the luxury brands succeeding in APAC from those losing relevance? AE: The key to success in APAC is localization. This doesn’t mean a red zodiac capsule collection for Chinese New Year but a true conversation between the brand and its local context. This could be collaborations with local craftsmen to create unique retail spaces, clever social campaigns in tune with current culture, or pop-up concepts that open the brand experience to a wider audience. Brands that are too HQ-centered in their marketing or treat APAC as a single homogeneous market will inevitably fall behind, as they will fail to address necessary local nuances. The most successful brands achieve this in partnership between local and global teams — neither side overriding the other — which is the only way to strike that essential local/global balance. A good example is Louis Vuitton’s ship-shaped concept store in Shanghai which celebrates its local context by referencing Shanghai’s port heritage as the “Gateway to the East,” while remaining firmly anchored in the brand’s global identity. JD: How did your time at Tatler change the way you approach luxury PR? AE: Having worked on the editorial side has been invaluable in understanding the dynamic between media and PR and how successful communication tactics can really improve editorial results. After countless fashion weeks, press trips and designer interviews, I learned what is actually helpful for an editor, the special touches that impress them as well as the things that will have the opposite effect. The experience has also given me an editorial eye — an instinct for what makes a story, not just a product message — which provides a different way of thinking about pitching. Finally, the way Tatler has always connected luxury, society and culture in its content has really shaped how I think about storytelling beyond traditional PR mechanics. This means I approach every brief thinking about narrative first and channel second, which I think produces more compelling campaigns than leading with tactics. JD: Which APAC markets outside China are you most excited about — and why? AE: I am quite excited about Thailand. Bangkok has developed into one of the most dynamic luxury and cultural destinations in Southeast Asia, and the pace of change over the past few years has been remarkable to witness. Thai celebrities have gained significant influence across APAC and beyond. Names like Gulf Kanawut or Bright Vachirawit have genuinely crossed over into global luxury brand territory and have become fashion week regulars. The Karla Otto Insights team found that Thai celebrities have now become the dominant force at global fashion weeks, officially generating higher Earned Media Value (EMV) than K-pop stars. Exceptional retail destinations such as IconSiam are setting a new benchmark for luxury retail and there is a broader cultural moment for Bangkok, which has seen a wave of significant museum and cultural institution openings recently. World-class institutions like Dib Bangkok, which opened in December 2025, are helping to establish Bangkok as a center of the Asian art world. This cultural infrastructure is attracting a more discerning, experience-driven consumer — exactly the audience luxury brands should be speaking to. JD: How important is cultural intelligence in luxury communications? AE: Cultural intelligence is no longer a differentiator in luxury communications — it's a baseline requirement. Consumers, particularly in APAC, can immediately sense when a brand is speaking to them authentically versus executing a strategy developed thousands of miles away by people who have never spent time in their market. Cultural missteps can create significant backlash for brands and cause long-lasting reputational damage, while successful campaigns can significantly change a brand’s perception in a market. Earlier this year, Karla Otto China worked with our sister agency Bureau Béatrice on a campaign film celebrating the Lunar New Year of the Horse for Jil Sander. The team produced a beautiful film shot by Jeremy Z. Qin, which served as an introspective journey through memory and quiet reflection, rather than playing into more traditional stereotypes associated with the festival. The modern, emotive take on Lunar New Year storytelling really spoke to the label’s consumers, making it the brand’s highest-performing social content of the year so far. JD: You mentioned “flashy collabs” in China — do you think brand collaborations still work in the market in general? AE: I do. But I believe that Chinese consumers are looking for interesting and unexpected pairings rather than obvious “big brand” collaborations. Crossovers between Western brands and Chinese designers, cultural IPs or iconic domestic brands seem to be most successful at the moment, helping brands to build deeper cultural relevance in the market. Recent examples I found interesting were Bottega Veneta linking up with poet Yu Xiuhua on an interactive poetry installation at Shanghai’s Rowing Club, or Balenciaga’s T-shirt crossover with Alipay. Besides luxury, international fast fashion and sportswear labels have also become forces to be reckoned with in China, as they are often the educators and authenticators of emerging Chinese designers. Examples for these categories include Zara x Ao Yes or Adidas x Samuel Guì Yang. JD: What role does storytelling play in building long-term luxury brand equity in Asia? AE: Storytelling is at the absolute core of luxury brand equity — in Asia perhaps more than anywhere else. Asian consumers, particularly in markets like China, Japan and South Korea, have a deep cultural appreciation for heritage, craft and narrative. A brand that can articulate not just what it makes but why it exists, where it comes from and what it stands for will always have a deeper resonance than one that leads with product alone. Loro Piana has arguably become one of the more effective luxury storytellers in China, particularly among affluent consumers shifting away from logo consumption toward stealth luxury driven by material excellence. Its storytelling strength lies in restraint, exclusivity, and an aspiration toward slow, mindful living. In a market as sophisticated as China, that kind of considered, values-driven narrative builds the sort of long-term brand loyalty that no campaign alone can create. JD: What's something that has surprised you most about your career in PR? AE: One thing you quickly learn in our industry is that you shouldn’t be surprised by anything. No one could have imagined how fashion weeks played out during the Covid-19 pandemic, or how generational shifts are now requiring brands to be accountable. I think that is part of the charm — and it has helped me to stay agile in my own career. JD: How are AI and digital culture impacting luxury communications and PR? AE: It is impossible to ignore the impact of AI on everyday life and that includes the way our industry works. There are obvious benefits, for example, when it comes to reporting. Our sister-company Lefty, an influencer marketing platform, is fully AI-powered which makes it possible to process and analyse large quantities of data, which is invaluable when tracking campaign success in real time. On the other hand, there is a risk of overly relying on tech or data when it comes to decision making. I believe the most successful campaigns are those that are unexpected and not obvious, and often it is a gut feeling that can lead to the most memorable brand moments. Finally, it is important to remember that our industry is primarily based on personal relationships — and the agencies that will win are those that use AI to work smarter, while protecting human judgment and the relationships that no algorithm can replicate. JD: After two decades in communications, what part of luxury PR has become more difficult, and what has become easier? AE: I wouldn’t say that the work was easier when I started my career, but things were certainly a lot simpler. Before AI, viral moments and cancel culture emerged, our work would primarily focus on traditional communications tactics such as product and story placement. Successful communication today requires a far more well-rounded approach to storytelling, and what we do has to touch on nearly every aspect of a brand’s ecosystem. Nowhere illustrates this complexity better than China, where social media platforms like WeChat or Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) dominate the digital customer journey, while physical retail experience is as important as e-commerce, livestreaming, or integration into shopping platforms like Alibaba. Building brands without celebrity engagement is nearly impossible, but fan culture can come with its own risks, such as the brand risk when a celebrity ambassador faces scandal. There isn’t a single touchpoint that leads to brand success — it’s the combination of them all. Access to real-time data and measurement has been invaluable — it means we can prove campaign impact instantly and in ways that weren’t previously possible. Brands can also reach target audiences more directly now, which has reduced our dependence on traditional media gatekeepers. Jing Daily presents C-Suite Visionaries — an exclusive interview series spotlighting the most influential executives at the helm of today’s leading brands in art, fashion, commerce, and culture. Get inside the minds of the decision-makers driving growth, innovation, and cultural relevance at the highest levels.

Arne Eggers on how to sell luxury in Asia

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Arne Eggers on how to sell luxury in Asia

How Bottega Veneta weaved China’s forever it bag