China signals: Canada Goose takes flight, Guvet signs Marceau, CIIE goes sporty, concerts drive travel

Greater China revenue at Canada Goose rose 32.5% YoY in its fiscal second quarter, driven by travel retail on Hainan Island and growth in categories beyond winter outerwear. Chinese rival Guvet (高梵), meanwhile, appointed French actress Sophie Marceau as its China brand ambassador, signaling its ambition to compete in premium outerwear through cultural storytelling. At this year's CIIE, sports brands shifted focus from product launches to localization, lifestyle expansion, and technology, reflecting a broader evolution in how they approach the China market. And concert-related travel bookings surged 64% year-on-year across Asia, as live music becomes a genuine driver of destination choice. Greater China now accounts for a quarter of Canada Goose’s global sales Market intel: Canada Goose reported a 5.9% year-over-year increase in revenue to 274 million Canadian dollars ($195 million) for the second quarter of fiscal 2027, which ended September 27, driven by strong growth in Greater China despite weakness in Europe. Greater China revenue surged 32.5% to 68.5 million Canadian dollars ($49 million), marking its fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth and accounting for 25% of quarterly sales, up from 20% a year earlier. Asia-Pacific revenue, including Greater China, increased 23.1%, while North America grew 8.1% and EMEA declined 14%. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) revenue rose 2.7%, although DTC comparable sales fell 7.5%, reflecting continued pressure on store traffic. Gross margin improved to 66.8%, but the operating loss widened to 21.6 million Canadian dollars ($15.4 million) from 17.6 million Canadian dollars ($12.5 million) a year earlier, as higher marketing spending and store expansion weighed on profitability. The performance was supported by wholesale growth, particularly in travel retail on Hainan Island and in South Korea, management said on the earnings call, alongside e-commerce and new store openings. The brand is also diversifying beyond traditional heavyweight down jackets, expanding its apparel, rainwear and windwear offerings to attract consumers throughout the year. These newer categories continued to deliver strong double-digit growth in the latest quarter. Market indicator: China is a bright spot in an otherwise mixed global picture for Canada Goose. While EMEA revenue fell 14% and DTC comparable sales declined 7.5%, Greater China grew fast enough to generate a quarter of the company’s sales in the period. Four factors drove it: wholesale and travel retail growth, led by Hainan; e-commerce; product diversification beyond winter outerwear; and improved store conversion despite weaker foot traffic. Conversion is the most telling figure. Consumers may not be visiting stores as often, but those who do are more willing to buy. Store conversion in Asia-Pacific rose by double digits in the quarter, management said, which suggests the brand’s appeal among Chinese consumers remains strong even as broader retail traffic softens. Hainan has also been effective, giving the brand access to travelers shopping duty-free on the island. Profitability remains under pressure, with the operating loss widening as marketing spending rose. Pricing is a second concern. The brand’s Expedition parka is listed at 16,300 RMB ($2,427) on Chinese e-commerce platforms, while Sam’s Club’s cross-border “Global Purchase” channel is selling a women’s Canada Goose parka for 10,999 RMB ($1,638), a gap that risks diluting the brand. Canada Goose has to protect its premium positioning while expanding access, and sustaining its China growth will depend on managing brand equity and channel strategy together. Chinese downwear label Guvet built a premium brand in under a decade Market intel: Chinese luxury downwear brand Guvet (高梵) has appointed French actress Sophie Marceau as its China brand ambassador, her first apparel endorsement in China, according to The Beijing News. The appointment is accompanied by a campaign titled “Those Who Chase the Light” (追天光的人), featuring Marceau in pieces from the brand’s Oriental haute couture down collection. The designs are inspired by six auspicious mythical beasts, including the Vermilion Bird (朱雀), guardian of the south in Chinese cosmology. They combine goose down with Yunjin (云锦) brocade, a Nanjing silk weave traditionally made with gold thread, and hand embroidery. Since returning to offline retail in 2024, Guvet has pursued a selective expansion strategy, opening boutiques alongside international luxury labels in major shopping destinations. Its 13 stores across seven cities generated more than 100 million RMB ($14.9 million) in combined sales within three months in 2025, according to Ebrun (亿邦动力). Most recently, Guvet opened a pop-up at Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun (三里屯太古里), which runs until November 30, generating more than 420,000 RMB ($62,500) in first-day sales. Beyond retail, the brand is investing in cultural storytelling and celebrity partnerships to differentiate itself, including its work with Chinese luxury lifestyle brand Shang Xia (上下), whose craftsmanship it drew on to create the collection Marceau wears. Premium pricing and a heritage-led brand story position Guvet as an emerging domestic competitor in a market traditionally dominated by international luxury outerwear brands. Market indicator: Guvet represents a new breed of Chinese luxury brand, one betting that positioning and craftsmanship matter more to shoppers than price. The Marceau appointment is a statement of intent: Guvet wants to be seen as a peer of international luxury houses. Pairing French cinematic elegance with Yunjin brocade and hand embroidery creates a cultural bridge that feels credible. Its route there is unusual. Guvet began in Beijing department stores after its founding in 2004, then moved online and spent a decade competing on price. Around 2020, it used livestreaming to reposition itself as a premium brand and has since returned to luxury malls to elevate its image. Building premium awareness online before investing in expensive real estate is a playbook more Chinese brands are now following. Competition with Moncler is shifting away from price for Chinese luxury outerwear brands. Guvet and its peers are betting that consumers want products that combine technical performance with cultural identity, at a premium justified by craftsmanship and story. If Guvet succeeds, it will show that Chinese brands can occupy the same luxury tier as international players. For international luxury brands watching, Guvet is a competitor worth taking seriously. Sports brands pitch localization, wellness and sustainability at CIIE Market intel: Global sportswear and outdoor brands took a different approach at the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE, 进博会), held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, putting local innovation and new consumer experiences ahead of traditional product launches. Nike, marking 45 years in China, presented its China by Design initiative and local creative capabilities, while Adidas displayed Chinese-inspired designs that are gaining popularity overseas. Lululemon, exhibiting for the third consecutive year, focused on fabric innovation and everyday comfort, while Asics, marking 20 years in China, gave its ASICS Walking line its first offline outing in the country. First-time exhibitors Arc’teryx and Bogner took different approaches. Arc’teryx emphasized product durability, repair and circular design, while German ski label Bogner made the Asian debut of its 007 series, which applies skiwear fabrics to luxury fashion. Fitness equipment maker Johnson Health Tech (乔山健康科技), exhibiting for the fifth consecutive year, presented an AI-powered home health system linking body testing, training plans, recovery and diet advice, while Hado offered AR-based competitive sports, in which players wearing headsets fire virtual energy balls at opponents. Together, these booths suggest CIIE now serves brands as a stage for demonstrating how they are adapting to China’s evolving sports consumption. Market indicator: This year’s shift reflects a broader maturing of how sports brands approach China. In the years after the expo launched in 2018, brands used it mainly to display imported products and signal commitment to the market. As competition intensifies and Chinese consumers become more discerning, it has become a platform for demonstrating local innovation and lifestyle positioning. Nike and Adidas putting China-designed products front and center is significant. Global sportswear brands have long faced criticism for treating China mainly as a sales market. Both now place local creative teams and China-inspired designs that sell at home and abroad at the center of their pitch, building on years of groundwork: Adidas marked 20 years of its Shanghai creative center at last year’s CIIE, and Nike opened its Icon.Shanghai creative hub there. That is a meaningful shift in posture for brands that once treated China as a place to localize global products. Lifestyle and wellness ran through the other launches, with Lululemon focusing on everyday comfort and Asics bringing in walking shoes for daily and business wear. They reflect a trend Jing Daily has tracked for years: Chinese consumers buy sports products for daily life and wellness as much as for competition. Brands that serve that broader need will capture more wallet share, and CIIE has become a window into that evolution. Concerts become Asia’s newest tourism engine as fans stay longer, spend more Market intel: Trip.com Group’s (携程集团) bookings for the concert-and-travel packages it sells with Live Nation Asia rose 64% YoY in the first half of 2026, according to “The Concert Travel Effect in Asia,” a report the two companies released on November 4. The study, which surveyed 1,768 respondents across mainland China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand and South Korea, found that 65% of concertgoers had traveled to another country or region to attend a live performance, while 70% considered live music one of the most exciting reasons to travel. Securing tickets was the biggest driver of travel planning for 62% of respondents, and 84% expressed interest in packages combining concert access with accommodation and transportation. Concertgoers said they would ideally spend an average of four days at their destination, which would extend their spending beyond tickets to hotels, dining and local attractions. In Bangkok, K-pop concerts attract nearly twice the share of overseas attendees as concerts by other acts. Market indicator: Live music has become a genuine driver of destination choice in Asia, and the survey puts numbers to it. That 65% of concertgoers surveyed have traveled to another country or region for a show means concerts now work as a reason to book a flight as well as a night of local entertainment. Length of stay matters more for local economies. A four-day trip means hotel nights, restaurant meals and sightseeing well beyond the ticket, and that spillover is why cities across Asia compete to attract major concerts and festivals. Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore have all invested in positioning themselves as entertainment hubs, and Bangkok’s pull with K-pop shows demonstrates the potential. For luxury brands, the trend offers a strategic angle. Concertgoers skew toward experience-seeking consumers with money to spend: 63% of respondents said they choose five-star hotels when traveling for concerts, and earlier Trip.com research found Gen Z and millennials lead demand for concert travel. Official sponsorship, VIP experiences, curated hospitality packages and post-concert events could all align brands with the emotional high of live music, provided they fit naturally into the concert experience. As cities compete for entertainment tourism, brands that connect credibly with this audience will gain an edge.

China signals: Canada Goose takes flight, Guvet signs Marceau, CIIE goes sporty, concerts drive travel

TUMI’s new growth playbook: From travel expertise to lifestyle performance

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China signals: Canada Goose takes flight, Guvet signs Marceau, CIIE goes sporty, concerts drive travel

TUMI’s new growth playbook: From travel expertise to lifestyle performance