Overview#
Diptyque launched the “Les Mondes de Diptyque” collection (the name translates as “The Worlds of Diptyque”), including five new scented candles inspired by the auras and aesthetics of five geographic locations. Packed in colored glass jars, the candles are completely refillable, which is the first time Diptyque has deployed this approach. To promote the launch, the brand hosted a physical pop-up exhibition in Shanghai, featuring meditation sessions for visitors.
Netizens’ reaction#
The collection has generated growing organic discussions on social media, garnering nearly 60,000 views on Xiaohongshu. Priced at 298 (2,180 RMB) each in China, the collection is the brand’s priciest to date. Still, local fragrance lovers have shown strong interest in the launch, especially in the two scents with East Asian characteristics, one of which is Valley of Time, which was inspired by Jingdezhen, known as the cradle of Chinese porcelain and also famous for its white tea.
Verdict
Premium perfume brands like Diptyque have gained greater market share in China since the pandemic broke out. In particular, home scents were one of the categories that consumers have splurged more on as they spent more time at home. According to a report released by CBNData, "calming and help with sleep" were the most-searched keywords for scented candles, while "anxiety relief" and "being collected" are the fastest-growing terms when it comes to online consumer spending.
Diptyque has nimbly captured the surging demand among today’s home fragrance consumers and created an immersive and experiential environment for the new collection launch. In contrast to other categories like perfumes, and bath and body products, candles require a dedicated space and environment for brands to present aromas to consumers. Therefore, visualizing the candles’ scents in carefully created settings can vividly educate consumers about the inspiration and know-how behind the products.
In addition, Diptyque has added a local twist to its first refillable collection. While mainland China has fully reopened after the pandemic as of January this year, the demand for at-home self-care has continued to grow. Offering meditation sessions along at the pop-up exhibition enables visitors to explore and engage with the products. Featuring hyper-local narratives, immersive experiences, and emotional connections, Diptyque is convincing local fragrance lovers of its high-end positioning.