Week In Review: October 29-November 2, 2012

In case you missed them the first time around, here are some of Jing Daily’s top posts for the week of October 29-November 2: Coach Set For China E-Commerce Launch: Is It A Game-Changer? Following recent entrants to China’s fast-growing — yet crowded and largely untested — e-commerce market, among them Ferragamo, Zara, J. Crew, and Yoox, today American “affordable luxury” brand Coach made final moves to launch its long-discussed official China online store. Built completely in-house, the new functionality could be previewed starting on November 1 — without an official notice on the Coach Weibo page, just days after the brand launched an official account on China’s app of the moment, WeChat (weixin). Three Trends Seen At China Fashion Week In Beijing Running through November 3, the ongoing 15th China Fashion Week in Beijing continues to showcase established players and up-and-coming names in Chinese fashion design. From newer designers like Chu Yan and Wei Hua to fixtures like NE-TIGER’s Zhang Zhifeng, the Mercedes-Benz-sponsored event continues its tradition of being more inwardly focused than its counterpart in Shanghai. Aside from this past weekend’s J. Lindeberg show at D•PARK Central Hall, China Fashion Week has been a largely domestic affair. Second-Hand Luxury Losing Stigma In China What Jing Daily referred to as the “spreading wildfire of luxury second-hand shops in China” last year continues to rage in China’s first- and second-tier cities (as well as over the border in Hong Kong). Though China’s overall luxury market is showing slower overall growth this year compared to 2011, demand from the country’s less well-heeled, yet still chicly conscientious, for “almost new” handbags, apparel and accessories is helping chains like Hong Kong’s Milan Station and Japan’s Brand Off gain extreme popularity. Chinese Artist Qiu Zhijie Shortlisted For Hugo Boss Prize 2012 This Thursday, the international art community is set to convene at New York’s Guggenheim Museum for the awarding of the Hugo Boss Prize. Judged by a global panel of curators, museum directors and art critics, the prestigious award carries with it a prize of US$100,000 and a solo show at the Guggenheim. Previously awarded to artists like Matthew Barney (1996), Pierre Huyghe (2002), Rirkrit Tiravanija (2004), Tacita Dean (2006), and Hans-Peter Feldmann (2010), the honor has yet to be won by a Chinese artist, though three — Cai Guo-Qiang in 1996, Huang Yong Ping in 1998, and Yang Fudong in 2004 — have previously been nominated. From Vacheron To Adidas, Brands Roll Out "Year Of The Snake" China Editions After last year’s “year of the dragon” edition extravaganza, which saw everything from espresso machines to watches, slippers to sports cars (and everything in between) imprinted with the mythical creature, we thought that 2013 — the year of the snake — would herald a few less over-the-top overtures to the China market. But from the looks of the rollouts we’ve seen thus far, what could be lost in quantity this year might be gained in flash.

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Week In Review: October 29-November 2, 2012