Fashion

Chinese Whispers: Crystal Maker Baccarat’s New Face in China, and More

In “Chinese Whispers,” we share the biggest news stories about the luxury industry in China that have yet to make it into the English language.

In this week’s edition, we discuss:

Baccarat‘s first Chinese brand ambassador,Cross-border e-commerce store Netease Kaola to open offline stores, andChinese beauty trends by Mintel Group.

1. French crystal brand Baccarat names a Chinese brand ambassador – Baccarat

The high-profile French crystal brand Baccarat introduced its first-ever Chinese brand ambassador — actress Tan Zhuo (谭卓) — this week, aiming to speed up the brand’s expansion in the market. Zhuo rose to fame by starring in China’s trendiest TV series “Yanxi Palace” last year. She has also been a loyal customer of Baccarat for years. To celebrate the announcement, Tan collaborated with the brand, unveiling their latest “Wine Therapy” collection globally.

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China’s top cross-border e-commerce player NetEase Kaola is scaling up its factory-to-consumer online business model to offline. Photo: Shutterstock

2. NetEase Kaola to debut its first factory-to-consumer offline store in Hangzhou this weekend – Winsang

China’s top cross-border e-commerce player NetEase Kaola is scaling up its factory-to-consumer online business model to offline. Hu Ran, the spokesperson of Kaola Global said on Friday, the company plans to open 12 offline stores in the country’s major cities, including Ningbo, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Chongqing, with the first one opening in Hangzhou on April 27.

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Beauty Spa Feminine Concept. Different Makeup Beauty Care Essentials Cosmetics on Flat Lay Pink Background. Top View. Above. Photo: freepik

3. Three consumer trends shaping today’s Chinese beauty shoppers – Fashion Network

Mintel Group, the London-based trend forecast company, released three Chinese beauty trends during “2019 MakeUp in Shanghai” exhibition this week. The study shows that customers in China are demanding a diverse mix of beauty brands to purchase today, preferring small packages that are easy to carry and expect brands to deliver interactive in-store experiences powered by latest technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

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