Songmont, Feng Chen Wang, and Champion join China’s fragrance race

What happened: Songmont and Feng Chen Wang push deeper into scent Chinese designer labels are expanding aggressively into fragrance. Chinese-born, London-based menswear designer Feng Chen Wang introduced her first incense, Bamboo Breath Mountains & Seas (竹溪山海 Zhuxi Shanhai), priced at 238 RMB ($33.5) for 25g, on October 19. Beijing-based Songmont launched a full scent universe anchored by the Sinking Mountain (沉山) scent. The fragrance range is priced at 1,280 RMB for 30ml ($180), while the Pine Temple (松寺) candle retails at 298 RMB ($42) for 85g. To publicize the launch, Songmont is holding a fragrance exhibition at its Beijing brand space from November 3, 2025, to February 6, 2026. Balenciaga and Champion join the fragrance arms race Balenciaga rolled out a 10-extrait fragrance collection in China, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Le Dix. Digitally scanned from the 1947 original bottle and reimagined as a refillable flacon with a hand-tied ribbon, the line bridges couture archival codes and contemporary perfumery. Meanwhile, Champion signed a global fragrance licensing agreement with Revlon, and aims to launch its debut scent collection in 2027. Backed by Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the expansion mirrors the group’s strategy with Juicy Couture — licensed to Revlon since 2016 — and positions Champion alongside Onitsuka Tiger, Balmain, Cos, and Bottega Veneta in deploying fragrance as a high-margin lifestyle category. The Jing Take The launches arrive as China’s fragrance market enters a high-growth phase. According to the China Perfume & Fragrance Industry White Paper 2025 by Deloitte China and Eternal Group, the sector is set to grow 8% annually, surpassing 36 billion RMB ($5.1 billion) by 2028. Broader forecasts from iiMedia show the market could exceed 50 billion RMB ($7 billion) by 2028, after averaging more than 20% growth per year over the past five years. Emotional consumption is driving the surge: 57% of Xiaohongshu users describe fragrance as a tool for calming or mood regulation, while 44% associate scent with “spiritual empowerment.” This explains why incense, candles, and spatial storytelling — sold by Feng Chen Wang and Songmont — are becoming integral to fragrance ecosystems. Global giants dominate premium, but cultural brands are rising fast International maisons continue to control the top of China’s fragrance pyramid. Chanel, Dior, Jo Malone, and YSL remain top sellers on Tmall. L’Oréal’s global fragrance division grew sales 11% in H1 2025, while Estée Lauder reported double-digit fragrance growth in China, led by Tom Ford Beauty, Jo Malone London, and Le Labo. But Chinese brands are building strong cultural equity. To Summer, Documents, and Melt Season — now backed by L’Oréal or Estée Lauder — often commend per-ml prices higher than Chanel No. 5, driven by narrative-rich Oriental aesthetics and high-craft packaging. Domestic players excel at cultural storytelling, ritual design, and creating lifestyle “scent worlds.” Yet structural gaps remain. As the iiMedia white paper notes, 60% of global fragrance ingredients are controlled by international suppliers, while Chinese fragrance compound manufacturers hold under 5% of the high-end segment. Long-term competitiveness will hinge on investment in raw materials, formulation science, and supply-chain depth. 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.

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Songmont, Feng Chen Wang, and Champion join China’s fragrance race