As artistic perfumery evolves from niche passion to global business, Esxence reveals how fragrance is becoming a language of identity, emotion, and cultural distinction.
Highlighted Articles
In China, May 20 — known as “520” because its Mandarin pronunciation resembles “I love you” — has evolved into one of the country’s most commercially significant romance-driven shopping moments. For luxury brands, the date has long served as a predictable stage for grand declarations of love: celebrity couples, heart-shaped capsules, cinematic gifting campaigns, and carefully orchestrated displays of devotion.
At its first concept store in Hangzhou, MEIDEHEN is testing a new model for Chinese folk craft — one built not only on cultural preservation, but on product development, retail demand, and sustainable orders for artisans.
Global beauty brands are entering more markets than ever, but expansion alone is no longer enough. In this op-ed, industry expert Gabby Chen argues that the future of beauty globalization will be defined not by distribution reach, but by a brand’s ability to build trust, emotional connection, and long-term value across markets.
WEEKLY BRIEF
1
Chanel returned to growth with China improving in the second half of 2025.
2
Amer Sports Greater China revenue surged 44.5 percent in Q1 2026.
3
Swire Properties posted double-digit retail growth across mainland China malls.
4
Galeries Lafayette will close its Beijing store after 12 years of operation.
5
Estée Lauder agreed to a $210 million settlement tied to the daigou crackdown.
6
Proya acquired a 51 percent stake in Flower Knows for RMB 351 million.
7
Flower Knows generated RMB 1.73 billion in revenue during 2025.
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Eternal invested RMB 97.5 million in aromatherapy skincare brand AromeManpo.
9
SHEIN is reportedly considering a $100 million acquisition of Everlane.
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China’s cosmetics retail turnover reached a record RMB 122 billion in Q1 2026.
Neo-Luxury Economy
Yici is redefining contemporary Chinese luxury through tactility, emotional resonance, and ceramic design—building objects meant not just to be seen, but lived with.
Duanmu, a Chinese luxury brand rooted in craftsmanship and cultural vision, redefines luxury with sacrifice, slow growth, design innovation, and cultural depth.
Brands should reexamine aging as a process through a cultural lens.
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Jingzhi Brand
At its first concept store in Hangzhou, MEIDEHEN is testing a new model for Chinese folk craft — one built not only on cultural preservation, but on product development, retail demand, and sustainable orders for artisans.
Yici is redefining contemporary Chinese luxury through tactility, emotional resonance, and ceramic design—building objects meant not just to be seen, but lived with.
Through its Chinese Raw Materials Return Project, Chinese fragrance brand To Summer is working to integrate ingredients such as Jingmai Pu’er tea and Xinhui aged tangerine peel into the global perfumery system via standardized extraction and IFRA recognition. The brand offers a case study in how Chinese fragrance may achieve long-term relevance through materials, infrastructure, and system participation.
Chalu is reimagining sparkling tea through the lens of Yunnan’s ancient tea terroir. Founded by Fraser Kennedy, the brand transforms Chinese tea heritage into a modern, alcohol-free ritual rooted in flavor, craft, and place.
Jingzhi Voice
Global beauty brands are entering more markets than ever, but expansion alone is no longer enough. In this op-ed, industry expert Gabby Chen argues that the future of beauty globalization will be defined not by distribution reach, but by a brand’s ability to build trust, emotional connection, and long-term value across markets.
From retail reinvention to experiential luxury and the rise of new global hubs, the inaugural Shoptalk Luxe in Abu Dhabi offered a glimpse into how the industry is evolving — and what the shift means for Chinese brands, innovators, and the next generation of luxury consumers.
Through the Fashion Challenges Forum and its integration with Clockenflap, the platform positions Hong Kong as a “Super Connector,” translating Asian cultural depth into global fashion understanding while building the infrastructure needed for long-term growth.
Arc’teryx’s controversial fireworks collaboration with Cai Guo-Qiang in Tibet backfired, triggering backlash from its core outdoor community and raising questions about luxury ambition, brand misalignment, and ESG credibility.
Market Briefing
Luxury recovery, retail reshuffling, and aggressive user acquisition strategies are redefining competition across the China consumer market.
A bi-weekly overview of luxury recovery, retail restructuring, strategic investment, and beauty sector developments shaping the China consumer market.
A weekly overview of luxury, beauty, retail, and investment developments shaping the China consumer market in 2026.
A weekly overview of China’s consumer market, highlighting retail strategy shifts, brand expansion, and financial developments across fashion, beauty, and global markets.
The Visionary
Zixin Zhong blends Art Deco structure with Chinese restraint to build a globally resonant Chinese fashion brand. Featured at 2025 Fashion Asia Hong Kong, her work explores interior worlds, ritual, and enduring design.
Over the past decade, LABELHOOD has evolved from an underground fashion showcase to a cultural force shaping China’s design narrative, bridging creative experimentation with global retail opportunities.
After the breakout moment, what comes next for Chinese luxury? At Fashion Asia Hong Kong, former Boucheron APAC president André Hou offers a clear-eyed view on why building Made-in-China luxury is a generational task—and what brands must do to earn lasting global legitimacy.
Designer Yici Zhao’s journey from luxury jewelry to artisanal ceramics reflects a deeper shift—from brilliance to grounding, from perfection to presence. With her brand Yici (忆瓷), she redefines Chinese design through emotion, craft, and cultural roots.
Luxury recovery, retail reshuffling, and aggressive user acquisition strategies are redefining competition across the China consumer market.
...
Global beauty brands are entering more markets than ever, but expansion alone is no longer enough. In this op-ed, industry expert Gabby Chen argues that the future of beauty globalization will be defined not by distribution reach, but by a brand’s ability to build trust, emotional connection, and long-term value across markets....
As China’s beauty market moves from volatility toward more rational growth, L’Oréal is positioning AI not as a replacement for beauty, but as a tool to strengthen innovation, consumer connection, and long-term brand value.
...
As artistic perfumery evolves from niche passion to global business, Esxence reveals how fragrance is becoming a language of identity, emotion, and cultural distinction....
The surge of increasingly niche products often signals a market set to soar....
Brands should reexamine aging as a process through a cultural lens....
The fiscal 2024 not only underscored the growing maturity and competitiveness of China’s homegrown players, but also revealed deepening fault lines within the sector....
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