"Wealthy in China Value Craft Over Bling in Luxury" (Bloomberg)

“Craftsmanship ranks highest among words wealthy Chinese choose to define luxury, according to Mintel, underscoring changing tastes among big spenders. Almost two-thirds of urban Chinese put the term ahead of ‘expensive’ and ‘status,’ the market-research company said in a study released today.”

"House of Fraser: Chinese Tycoon in Talks Over Department Store Purchase" (The Guardian)

“House of Fraser, the 165-year-old British department store chain, could be sold to one of China's richest men rather than floated on the London stock market. Sanpower, a conglomerate controlled by multimillionaire and former Chinese government official Yuan Yafei, has offered to buy the historic British chain for £450m, according to a source close to the company.”

"Chinese Tourists Buying Luxury Watches Show the Way for Exporters" (The Financial Times)
"Talk of a slowdown in Chinese luxury consumption has been well documented. On the face of it, exports of Swiss watches to China have fallen significantly in recent years. But while the figures are technically accurate, there is mounting evidence that they tell only one side of the story."

"Hugo Boss Taps S Korean Star Power in China" (The Financial Times)

"Speaking in Hong Kong where Hugo Boss has launched two new flagship stores partly aimed at mainland Chinese tourists, Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, chief executive, says the label is increasingly tapping the international star power of South Korean celebrities to boost sales in China and other parts of Asia."

"Alibaba Invests $692 Million in Chinese Department Store Operator" (Reuters)

"China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd agreed to invest $692 million in a Chinese department store operator as the e-commerce giant looks to bring the benefits and convenience of online shopping to customers who visit real bricks-and-mortar stores. Alibaba, whose businesses will come under investor scrutiny ahead of the group's planned mega IPO in the United States this year, said it will buy $214 million worth of shares in Hong Kong-listed Intime Retail (Group) Co Ltd."